


The Sky that Bonds

by galaxy_in_your_eyes



Series: Our Sky! [1]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: #TsunaKnows, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Blood and Injury, Bullying, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Female Sawada Tsunayoshi, Fluff and Angst, Gen, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Male-Female Friendship, Mystery, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, References to Depression, Tsuna has spidey sense, Tsuna is a ball of stress and fire, Violence, Whump, fem27, friendship before relationship, what is the truth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 223,475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24550219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galaxy_in_your_eyes/pseuds/galaxy_in_your_eyes
Summary: By a chance meeting, she was introduced to the mafia world without knowing the secret of her blood. Now older, a baby hitman claims to turn her into Vongola Decimo. But will the sky accept its fate?
Relationships: Arcobaleno & Sawada Tsunayoshi, Reborn & Sawada Tsunayoshi, Sawada Tsunayoshi & Everyone, Sawada Tsunayoshi & Varia, Sawada Tsunayoshi & Vongola Tenth Generation Guardians
Series: Our Sky! [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2004754
Comments: 31
Kudos: 159





	1. Mafia Boss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome, strangers and readers!
> 
> This story is cross-posted on fanfiction.net under the author: fantasy.x.nothingness

**.**

**.**

**.**

"OUT! I WANT YOU OUT OF MY CLASS!"

Nedzu-sensei yelled to the point his whole face was red in anger, with his hands and shoulders shaking by the force. Snickers could be heard all around the classroom, as well as a chair scraping against the floor and someone walking towards the door.

"It's Dame-Tsuna time" A guy mocked with a smirk.

"Pay me" Another one demanded his friend, who reluctantly gave him some money for losing the bet.

Between the snickers and the teacher's fuming, a soft sigh was made, followed by the classroom's door being shut quietly. Walking down the hallways with no one around, Tsuna could only think one thing.

_Not again._

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was a beautiful day in Namimori, Japan. 

The sky was blue with a few fluffy clouds roaming around and the air was fresh due to the start of spring. If there was a word to describe Namimori’s town, it was peaceful. With only a few common problems at night that were quickly solved thanks to the police force and a certain disciplinary committee, the town really offered a feeling of security to the people living in it, making them all be able to call it home. 

It was midday, so every school was at lunch break. Some students were outside playing while others decided to stay in their classroom to enjoy time with their friends. 

Everyone, but one.

A 13-year-old brunette girl was lying on the rooftop of her school; Namimori middle, enjoying the cool breeze with her eyes closed and her arms behind her head. It had been a while since she last took a nap, and she really needed one. With the recent sleepless nights that were causing her to drop her grades, something that her mother and her teachers didn't like one bit, she welcomed every little rest she could get. 

Her name, Sawada Tsunayuuki.

She was an average looking person with an average teenage life. 

Her body was thin with no signs of muscles while her milky skin was flawless with no signs of marks. Her messy chestnut hair was of mid-back length, and her fringe was long enough that it reached her caramel doe eyes that sometimes gleamed gold when the sun shined on them. 

She is considered one of the cutest girls in school. That is, however, when she was not making a fool of herself.

In school, she was known as Tsuny-Tsundere. Or more specific, Dame-Tsuna.

Why? She was a roller-coaster! That's why.

Her grades were sometimes the best in the class, while other times, they dropped to the bottom and were the worst of the worst.

Some days she would take P.E seriously and play well, while other days she would make her team lose drastically so she would spend the rest of the class sitting in the bleachers by herself. 

She was a cool girl, always calm and serious, and it was said that her smile was so bright it could melt the hearts of people. Yet, there were moments when she was clumsy enough to trip over her own feet when she was just standing. She would bump into people or flinch at loud noises that caused her to stutter. 

And on some very rare occasions, she was brave enough - or stupid - to fight her bullies and come out without a scratch.

In simple words, she was a mystery.

One that her classmates liked to make fun of and create bets between themselves to see which side she would show the next day. It was quite cruel, but she didn't care. It’s not like she could change their opinion on herself, and to be truthful, it wasn’t worth it. 

Right now she was in Dame-Tsuna mode. Having not done her homework, arriving almost late to class, forgetting her lunchbox and failing with a 15 mark in her maths exam, it was like nothing seemed to work for her that day. So after her teacher kicked her out of his class with everyone laughing at her bad luck, she went to the only place where she could enjoy a few minutes of quietness.

And here she was. The rooftop. It was peaceful and quiet, the perfect place where she could relax under the sun and rest her tired psyche. However, she only got 15 minutes of that tranquillity before the rooftop door was violently opened and letting a murderous aura surround the place.

"Skipping classes again?" A monotone voice said "If you don't give me one good reason, I'll bite you to death"

"Hello, my dear prefect" She yawned and sat up stretching her arms "What brings you to the roof at such a lovely hour?"

"I asked first," he said and pulled a metal tonfa out. "Talk"

"Stupid teacher kicked me out for not doing my homework" She mumbled, but the disciplinary committee leader heard it and sighed heavily.

"Again?"

"It's not my fault! I was busy last night" The brunette exclaimed while she stood up.

"Sleeping?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"For your information..." She crossed her arms over her chest "Sleeping is good. You should try it, you know? You are so pale I could mistake you for a vampire"

"I will bite you to death" He growled and ran towards her with a raised tonfa, but she simply moved aside to dodge.

"See, a vampire" She giggled and continued dodging the attacks the prefect was throwing her with agility. Which made her break into a smile, for if she was able to dodge without tripping, it meant that her Dame-Tsuna mode was finally off.

"You little-" He was cut by the school's bell, signalling lunch was over. He sighed and narrowed his eyes at the brunette "After class, you are helping me with paperwork as a punishment for not doing your school duties"

"But Kyoya!" Tsuna exclaimed with a pout.

"No whining" He glared at her "Now go to class before I bite you to death, little animal"

"You are not fun" She murmured, but squeaked when a tonfa came flying towards her head "Alright, I'm going! Geez~"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Location: Sicily, Italy**

The sun was going down, painting the sky in orange, red and purple, along with those in-between. It was quite a sight. The air was nice, neither warm nor cold. It was starting to be late, so not many people were outside. Only those who were returning home or were too drunk to move were loitering the streets. 

Them and those who have a business to resolve.

Which sadly, he did.

Here he was again, walking downtown after a meeting with the old man. He got a new mission, a mission he didn't expect for it was too soon, too unexpected, but how could he refuse such a challenge? And as he walked down the streets with a smirk on his shadowed face thanks to his fedora, he ignored the stares and whispers he received as he passed by, too busy thinking, planning, imagining plans and situations that will involve a certain someone. 

At first, he was horrified and found the mission ridiculous and a loss of time. Just thinking about his first student made him want to sigh in annoyance at having to live that all over again.

But that's where the twist came and made him re-think. If he hadn't known Nono for years, he would have dismissed the old man as a fool. But those eyes full of determination made him pause, they made him want to do the mission, if only just to see the glorious outcome. A challenge indeed.

He will do the impossible.

Make a teenage girl into a Mafia Boss.

After all, he wasn't called the greatest hitman of the world for nothing.

"Japan, huh?" He said, his smirk never leaving his face "This one will probably be a long journey"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Finally, school was over and Tsuna could only watch with jealousy at how her classmates ran out from school. She could have been one of those free souls if she weren't grounded by the disciplinary committee leader. With a heavy sigh, she stood up from her chair and arranged her things.

"Want to go and get some cakes, Tsuna-chan?" An orange-haired girl asked her with a bright smile. Sasagawa Kyoko, the kindest girl Namimori middle ever had. She and Tsuna had known each other since they were kids, and though Tsuna had a hard time admitting it, she was her best friend.

"Sorry, I have to stay after classes" Tsuna grimaced at the thought of having to spend more time inside the school and sent an apologetic smile to the girl in front of her.

"I see," Kyoko said, not missing her smile "Maybe this weekend?"

"Definitely" Tsuna smiled back and walked Kyoko towards the door "Be careful on your way home"

"You too, Tsuna-chan" With a wave, both girls parted ways.

She walked into the familiar path towards the disciplinary committee office while humming softly to herself, but just as the brunette was going to turn into the next hallway, a hand on her shoulder made her stop. She looked behind her, only to see a boy with spiky dark hair and a smug smirk on his face.

"Hey" He greeted her.

"Mochida-senpai" Tsuna nodded her head at him.

"Tsunayuuki, where are you going in such a hurry?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"I have duties to do" Tsuna said simply and turned to walk away.

"That's uncool," Moichida said as he walked next to her, unaware of the brunette's attempts to get away from him "How about you skip with me?"

"Tempting" Moichida smirked, but it fell slightly at the next response "But no, thank you" With that, Tsuna hurried her steps and walked ahead of him.

"Wait" He ran up to catch her "I know, how about you and I go out this weekend?"

"Can't, I promised Kyoko I would hang out with her" 

"Why are you always so difficult?" Mochida huffed before smirking again "Doesn't matter, I like challenges. I won't give up until you go out with me" He declared before turning to walk away. 

"What an annoying guy" She murmured once he was out of reach. Tsuna sighed, again, and kept walking toward the office. What Mochida suggested was really tempting; not going with him, but skipping this whole punishment. 

What were the chances of getting caught if she ran away now? It was worth a try, she thought. But just as she was about to turn around and dash for her escape, someone called her name.

"Sawada-san" Kusakabe Tetsuya, the second in command of the disciplinary committee leader nodded at her as he rounded the corner and spotted her. Tsuna had to bite down a groan, for now, her chances were drawn to zero.

"Hello, Kusakabe-san" Tsuna greeted him weakly.

"Kyo-san is waiting," Kusakabe reminded her, crossing his arms over his chest and giving the brunette a sharp look. "So don't plan on running away"

"You know me too well" Tsuna giggled nervously.

"Come on now" Kusakabe motioned for the brunette to follow him and started to walk away. Tsuna sighed one more time and followed him to her fate.

After a minute or two, they reached the disciplinary committee office. Kusakabe stopped in front of the door and knocked politely.

"Sawada's here" He said and received a 'come in' in response.

Opening the door wide open, he let the brunette walk in before closing the door quietly. Once inside, Tsuna dropped her bag on the couch and sat down in front of the desk, which was full of papers.

"You know, I will never understand what's so special about paperwork" She said as she eyed the towers of papers with disinterest

"In silence little animal, and start working" Hibari grunted from his place behind the desk, never once looking at her from his work.

"Hmm..." The brunette pouted and grabbed a pen to start.

And so, Tsuna started filling the documents, asking one or two questions on what she should put here and there. It wasn't the first time she did paperwork, so she knew what the process eventually was, but it was still boring. 

She cursed in her mind for not being able to complete her homework, but it wasn't really her fault. She was tired and fell asleep in the middle of it, she didn't even have dinner! And to put the cherry in the cake, she had a nightmare and didn't sleep for the rest of the night.

That thought made the pen stop unconsciously in mid-air as she recalled her dream. It was weird and bizarre, but when were they not? It used to happen every now and then, some nights sleep couldn't seem to grasp hold of her while other times her dreams were plagued with haunting images and a frantic sense of dread that made her wake in the middle of the night. 

It wasn’t healthy, and it obviously was affecting her life but there was no way to stop them. Those dreams came and went as they pleased, some of them staying while others faded in time. It may sound stupid, and she couldn’t really put it into words, but she was almost sure that those dreams were talking to her, or at least trying to tell her something. 

So deep in her thoughts, her body flinched when someone clearing their throat brought her back to reality and when she looked up it was to see Hibari glaring at her.

"Did I tell you to stop?" He asked with a grunt, his hand tempting to grab his tonfa and whack her in the head.

"Sorry" She murmured and continued working, only to stop again after five minutes. 

Her eyes became unfocused as she recalled her last dream once more and the feeling of trepidation it left in its wake. It was as if, no matter how much she tried to forget and move on, that nagging feeling wouldn't leave her. It was clinging, clawing and almost possessive in a way that scared her. She hadn't felt such a powerful sensation, probably not since...

The feeling of cold fingers against her cheek snapped her back.

"Huh?" She blinked and turned to see Hibari, who was watching her with narrowed eyes.

"You are spacing out," He said with a glare "Again"

"Sorry, I just..." She closed her eyes and sighed tiredly.

"You didn't sleep at all, did you?" He questioned.

"A dream just kept me up, it's nothing" Tsuna shook her head as if to get rid of her thoughts and grabbed another paper from the pile. "Should I finish this too?"

"Tsunayuuki" Him calling her full name meant that he was annoyed and wanted answers. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, Tsuna knew that there was no escape from him. She remained quiet for a moment though, organizing her thoughts before sighing and resting her head on the table. 

"I'm just worried"

"About?"

"I don't know, but I am," She said with a frown "It's like something inside of me is screaming at me to be careful"

"It wouldn’t be the first time" He pointed calmly, being fully aware of the past times where the brunette had had those mysterious feelings and dreams and how anxious she got.

"I know," She said biting her lip, thinking the same as him. "But I can't simply ignore them"

They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, each deep in their own thoughts. Hibari could not empathise with the way she was feeling nor did he try to pretend to give her comfort, it wasn't in his personality. But he always listens when she keeps rambling about nonsense and hovers when her words die out. It's how they worked, as strange as it was. And the girl never asked for his opinion in the matter, it seemed she just needed someone where she could just store her thoughts like a safety cloud. 

"You are weird" He finally declared before going back to his work.

"I know" She smiled sheepishly and closed her eyes intent on resting some more, but a startled cry escaped her lips as a metal hit landed on her head. 

"Keep working" Hibari growled with narrowed eyes and a raised tonfa.

"Y-Yes" She squeaked and continued to work, nursing her poor head in the process.

And so, the two kept working until the sun started to set and the school was deserted. As soon as the last paper was done and tucked into the folder, Tsuna immediately grabbed her bag and ran towards the exit before the boy could try to chain her to another task. 

"See you tomorrow, Kyoya!" She exclaimed with a goodbye wave and jogged her way out.

"Hn" He watched her leave school grounds, before shaking his head for staring for too long.

' _What a little animal.’_ He thought and walked around school one last time to make sure everything was ready for tomorrow's classes.

**.**

**.**

**.**

After 15 minutes of walking, Tsuna arrived home safely and apologized to her mother for being late, but Nana Sawada just hugged her daughter and smiled at having her home. 

One could really see the resemblance they both shared. Tsuna could be the split image of her mother if it weren’t for her hair being lighter in colour and longer in length. As well as her eyes, they were a tad bigger and honey-coloured instead of the usual brown. 

And oh, how Nana adored her daughter's eyes. They were so big and pretty and when the light hit them just right, they could shine in another colour. And it saddened her deeply to see how that light just kept dimming as she grew up. 

Her eyes didn't shine in happiness or wonder as they used to do and as a mother, it really hurt to see that. And although she tried her best to cheer her up, she couldn't really force her daughter to feel more than she could. So she always made sure to shower her extra in love and care, and she knew that Tsuna really appreciated that. 

But sometimes she just wished her daughter could see beyond her own little world. She wanted to see her daughter be happy, to have fun with friends and experience her youth with a lighter heart. She knew life hadn't been the best for her, but she was trying, they both were. 

She knew she could never force her daughter out of her shell, she didn't have the heart for that, but she was strong and patient and she would keep holding her daughter close until she was ready to stand on her own again.

After a warm shower, Tsuna had dinner with her mother and then went to her room where this time, she finished all her school duties before falling asleep in her bed. 

Nana went to check her daughter a few minutes after dark, only to see her all sprawled on her bed with papers still scattered over the covers. Shaking her head with a quiet giggle, she walked quietly inside to pick up the mess and covered her daughter, who murmured something in her sleep and cuddled her pillow at the soft touches. Nana smiled and wished she had a camera, and with one last look, she closed the door gently before going to her own room. 

That night, the two brunettes in the Sawada residence slept peacefully, neither of them knowing that it would be the last time they had such a good night.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Morning, the sky was still a bit dark but the silhouette of the sun was starting to peek over one side of the sky. Only the early risers were the ones to see such sight, Sawada Nana being one of them. 

She walked outside to greet the new day in good spirits. 

"Let's see what's on the news today" She said to herself as she opened her mailbox to take the newspaper, but blinked when she saw a piece of paper next to it. Curious, she grabbed it and read it, only to have a sparkle appearing on her eyes at what she saw.

Smiling to herself, she walked back inside, ready to start breakfast and to make a call, and hoping that things would turn for the better. 

Behind her, as the sun rose up in the sky, no one was able to see a dark shadow making its way towards the humbled home. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

After breakfast was ready and hearing no noise from upstairs, Nana hummed to herself thinking that perhaps this was to be a peaceful morning. But after taking one look at the clock in the kitchen and seeing it was only 30 minutes before 7, she opted to walk towards the stairs so that her voice could be heard better. 

"Tsuna-chan" She shouted, "Time to wake up or you will be late for school!" But she didn't receive any answer, nor heard any thumps or screams.

"This girl" She sighed and walked upstairs, opening Tsuna's bedroom door slightly to poke her head inside, the sight that greeted her brought an amused smile to her face. "What's this?"

It appears that in her sleep, Tsuna had turned and ended up on the floor with a pillow and all. And as she opened the door wider, she blinked, noting that there were clothes, books and some papers lying all around the room. She probably didn’t see them last night because it was dark, she thought as she went to kneel next to her daughter and shook her gently. 

"Tsuna-chan, wake up" But the girl didn't stir.

"don wanna...eat sushi" Tsuna mumbled, making Nana giggle and shake her head. What strange dreams was she having?

Sighing and looking around the room, something caught her attention. A folded piece of paper sticking out from between the pages of an old book. Tsuna didn’t like folding her homework unless it was a draft or was trying to hide something. So with a knowing look, Nana stood and walked towards the desk where the book was resting and took out the paper. Unfolding it, she could only stare at the bright red number on it.

"Sawada Tsunayuuki, who got another 15 on her math test?" She asked sweetly.

That did the trick. The brunette on the floor jolted up with a fearful gaze.

"Not me, I swear!" She exclaimed.

But it was late, Nana was waving the exam in front of her face.

"Mom!?" She panicked and made a launch for the exam, but apparently, she didn't notice that she was on the floor and miscalculated the distance, thus making her face-fall to the floor with a pained groan. Looking around, she stared at the bed in confusion, wondering how she got herself on the floor. 

“Darling” Her mother's voice made her look up to see her mother showing her a pink flyer, all thoughts of the failed exam forgotten.

"What is it?" She asked with a tilted head.

"Starting today, a home tutor is going to be coming" Nana's sweet voice made her slightly shiver. Oh, so the exam wasn't forgotten after all.

"I don't need a home tutor" Tsuna stood from the floor and sat on her bed with a grumble. 

"I will raise your child to become the leader of the next generation," Nana said while reading the information of the flyer "I am young, good looking and humble, and as long as they have a place to sleep and food, I'll teach you 24/7 for free"

"But mom! I don't need a tutor! My grades are okay" 

"They are sometimes, dear. You need to keep them up" Nana said.

"You can't believe this mom, what if it's a trick? It could be a scam!" Tsuna rolled her eyes before setting them on her wall clock, which made her gasp "Oh sh- I have 15 minutes!"

She jumped and ran out of the room, telling her mother to call off the agreement of the tutor. She quickly took a shower in five minutes and changed into her uniform in record time thanks to her experience with rushed mornings. And because she washed her hair last night, she didn’t waste extra minutes trying to dry it up, though it was a bit messy, but she can survive with that. 

She quickly grabbed her school bag and ran down the stairs to try and get some breakfast, but just as she was halfway through a knock on the door startled her, and her foot slipped.

Gasping in horror, Tsuna could only watch in slow motion as her world spun around her. Inwardly, she was cursing her dame-mode, and praying to whoever was in heaven for letting her live after this, or Kyoya was surely going to bite her to death for being late again.

And her prayers were heard. Just as her body was about to hit the stairs, she pushed her hands down, taking impulse, she made her body rotate in the air with a twirl that made her gut ache at the strain. She closed her eyes and took a breath, feeling her feet pulling her body downwards and she was expecting the worse, but when no pain came, she blinked in surprise when she landed safely on the floor below. 

"Safe!" She cried in disbelief and was happy she didn't fall.

"Ciaossu"

A squeaky voice said beside her, and she spun too fast, making her feet tangle between them and thus making her fall on her butt.

Moaning in pain, Tsuna took her time to observe the person that was looking at her, only to blink at what she saw. A baby wearing a black suit, with a matching fedora and a green chameleon on it were staring back at her, but what drew her attention was the round yellow thing hanging around his neck. 

' _Is that a pacifier?'_ She thought with wide eyes. _'He must be…'_

"You must be Tsuna," The baby said "Starting today, I'll be taking care of you"

Tsuna could only blink at the baby, confused. 

"Ha?"

"Impressive stunt you pull there, where did you learn it, the circus?" He asked with amusement.

"What?" Tsuna asked in confusion at his sudden intrusion and mocking. She opened her mouth again, ready to say something but the baby interrupted again. 

"The information said you were a clumsy-no-good, meaning that you shouldn’t be able to do something like that" He rubbed his chin in intrigue as his black eyes scanned the brunette's body.

"What information?" She asked with a glare, only to duck before the kick aimed at her face hit her.

"Reflexes too" He murmured to himself and looked at the girl with a hint of suspicion, who was glaring back at him from her place on the floor. 

"Oh, where did the baby come from?" Asked Nana as she came down the stairs. Reborn turned so that he could face both brunettes and showed them his business card. 

"My name is Reborn, I will be the home tutor" He said calmly.

The two brunettes remained quiet after the declaration, and Reborn waited patiently for their reaction.

"Home tutor?" Nana asked and gave Reborn a questioning look. "He is so cute, don't you think so Tsuna?" Nana giggled, unaware of her daughter's inner misery.

' _I'm doom_ ' Tsuna cried in her head.

"If you don't hurry, you're going to be late, Tsuna-chan," Nana's voice said, making Tsuna jump.

"I can't be late again!" She exclaimed before running towards the kitchen to grab her lunchbox and a piece of bread before yelling a goodbye as she ran out of her house. Her mother watched her go in amusement and smiled when Reborn tilted his fedora at her and went out after her daughter. Maybe he could be the prayer she had been waiting for, she thought while unaware of her daughter’s opposite thoughts. 

“What is he doing here?” Tsuna murmured to herself, having swallowed down her breakfast and jogging towards the familiar path to school on autopilot. Her mind was too busy trying to think what exactly was happening, but it seemed like the world wasn’t giving her a rest, because just as she crossed a street, a squeaky voice called from above her. 

"I'm your tutor"

She gasped and stumbled when she realized there was someone sitting on top of her head. Luckily, she didn’t fall or else her knees would have scraped badly. Instead, she came to a halt and tried to look up to the culprit. 

"When did you get there?" She exclaimed in shock, for she didn’t even feel him until he talked. 

But before someone could say anything, a loud growling was heard. Tsuna looked down to see she was stepping onto a dog's tail that was sticking out from the house’s gate, and when they locked eyes it began barking madly at her. She quickly stepped back and watched as the dog stood up from his place and opened the gate with his head, growling angrily in front of her.

Tsuna took a step back, and before Reborn could even jump down to try something fun, he felt the brunette move. Slowly, she stretched her arm to open the gate, before kicking the dog gently inside and closing the doors without trouble. 

"Where were we?" She asked the baby on top of her head, who was looking at what just happened in amusement.

He was about to speak when he was interrupted, again, only this time by a loud gasp of horror and a sweet greeting.

"Tsuna-chan" Kyoko came jogging towards the brunette and smiled at the baby on top of her friend's head with amusement "How cute, who is he?"

Tsuna sighed and removed Reborn from her head before setting him on the floor, where Kyoko was already waiting for him.

"Ciaossu" He greeted her. 

"Good morning" Kyoko smiled brightly.

"Morning" Tsuna murmured and took the time to at least fix her messy hair. She tried, but in the end she only tied a small side ponytail on the left side of her head and let the rest of her hair down. Just then, a girl wearing a different school uniform came rushing towards them. Her short chocolate hair was tied in a high messy ponytail, and her brown eyes were glaring at Tsuna.

"Is this kid your younger brother?" She asked a little forcefully. 

"No" Was the only response she got from Tsuna.

"Why are you wearing a suit? It looks too cute" Kyoko asked.

"That's because I'm in the mafia" Reborn said simply as if he was talking of the weather.

' _Mafia...'_ Tsuna thought as she glanced down at the baby, more especially, his yellow pacifier.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Kyoko exclaimed, thinking it was a joke and playing along, which made the other girl gasp in shock, for she was thinking a different thing. Sadly, they didn’t have time to chatter or exchange pleasantries. 

“We better go, Tsuna-chan, or we’ll be late for school” Kyoko stood, dusting her skirt and turning to see her friend.

“You go ahead. I gotta… um, stuff, yeah” She tried to come with an excuse but her mind going into overdrive. Kyoko gave her a confused look but it soon melted into understanding. 

“Okay, I guess I will see you at school” She then smiled down at Reborn “See you later"

"Ciao, Ciao" Reborn said in a cute manner that made Tsuna shudder, but the other girls weren’t affected because Kyoko giggled and the other girl blushed at the action. There was nothing cute about this baby!

"Tsuna-chan, don't be late again" Kyoko gave her one final stern look before the brunette nodded to her. 

"Yeah" Tsuna smiled a little, making Kyoko smile and walk away. 

"I'm going to be late too, so see you again" Said the other girl awkwardly before dashing away. Tsuna could only stare in confusion as she left. 

"You are poor at making friends" Reborn stated.

"Where did that come from?" Tsuna grunted offended and crossed her arms around her chest "More importantly, what's this thing about the mafia?"

"As your home tutor, I should understand all the relationships you have, starting from making friends" Reborn said, clearly ignoring the topic of the mafia.

"I **_do_** have friends," Tsuna said before starting to walk to school again "Kyoko is my friend. And I don't remember hiring you, so whatever game you are playing at, just drop it"

"It won't be that easy" Reborn said, and before she knew it, she was on the floor, with Reborn pinning her down with his tiny hands.

"The hell?" She asked confusedly, before crying in pain at the tight grip "Let go!"

"You don't look surprised to see a baby overpowering someone" Reborn said as he continued to twist her arms behind her back.

"That's enough!" She yelled and Reborn let her go, plopping down on the ground next to her. She grunted and sat down, glaring at him "Just who are you?"

"You are slow. I just told you, I'm your home tutor" Reborn said.

"And my intuition tells me you are hiding something big. So talk." Tsuna stood up and crossed her arms to glare down at the baby who was now smirking at her choice of words.

"Your intuition works right" He jumped high, landing on the wall beside her, an action that made his sunburns bounce as he turned to face her "My name is Reborn, and I am the strongest Hitman in the world"

"And what brings the mafia at my house?" She asked, looking at him warily.

"I have a better question" Reborn said and grabbed his chameleon "Do you have any regrets?"

"I do..." Tsuna said after listing down a few in her head.

"But are they strong enough?" Reborn questioned as he petted his chameleon. Why was it green?

"What's with that question?" Tsuna asked in confusion but a shiver ran down her spine when she saw the glint in the baby's eyes.

"Guess we will have to find out" He murmured and with a flash, the chameleon shifted into a green gun.

"F-Find out what?" Tsuna took a step back as soon as the weapon appeared, and her shocked eyes were met with obsidian black as he aimed the gun at her head.

"Die now" He said calmly. 

"Wait! What are you-

Time seemed to stop for her as the gun fired and the bullet hit her square on the forehead. Her body started to fall, her eyes began to close but deep inside of her, she could feel something snap. A hot _**searing**_ sensation crawled through all of her body as she started to lose conscience. It felt good, but bad in a horrible way that left her breathless. 

She couldn’t think as a pull dragged her down into oblivion, but as her mind started to fade away, something inside of her started to wake up. Her emotions were jumping fiercely inside of her. There was anger, sadness, confusion, but between all of that, there was also regret.

Regret for not being able to fulfil her promises.

Promises?

A flash of orange appeared before her eyes. Ah, that's right, she made a promise to Kyoko, and now, it seems like she wouldn't be able to fulfil any of them. What a waste.

Her body went limp as she hit the ground.

Reborn remained still with his gun in hand, waiting for something to happen. The wind blew, making him frown a little. Why was it taking so long? Did he make a mistake on firing too soon? He had to wonder when nothing happened to the fallen girl. 

And when the brunette didn't move for the next minutes, he felt something stir inside of him. He jumped down and walked towards the body of the brunette and poked her cheek with his finger.

Nothing, not even a stir. He frowned. Has he failed his mission?

No, it wasn't possible, but still... he gave the girl another look and a feeling of unease started to form inside of him, but it soon disappeared when he saw something flicker on the girl's forehead. Something pure and warm.

An orange flame.

"It's dying will time" He smirked and stepped back.

Suddenly, Tsuna opened her eyes to reveal furious orange orbs, and in one swift movement, her body stood from the ground, leaving behind what appeared to be the shell of her old body.

"Reborn!" She exclaimed and took a deep breath, apparently not caring or noticing that she was only wearing an orange sports bra and some black spandex shorts "I will fulfil my promise to Kyoko-chan! I'm gonna jump from an aeroplane and no one will stop me!"

Reborn froze after the declaration and watched the brunette run at full speed towards probably, the airport.

"Oi, dame-tsuna, what kind of regret is that?" He yelled and chased after her "Did I use the wrong bullet?" He murmured to himself, the chameleon shrugging in response.

Tsuna ran like a madwoman around the streets, not caring about the stares or yells people were giving her. Reborn was still chasing her, trying to stop her, but he knew it was useless in that state. He could only wait for the effect of the bullet to run down. The brunette suddenly came to halt and her orange eyes blinked to look around her. 

"Where's Kyoko? We should jump together" Tsuna yelled to herself and changed directions, this time to look for the orange-haired girl. Reborn had to bite down a sigh, but he had to admit, this was really funny.

The brunette flew from here to there, crashing against walls and almost getting run over by a car, but nothing seemed to stop her. And it was only when she spotted a familiar orange-haired girl a couple of streets away from school that her speed slowed down.

"Kyoko!" Tsuna exclaimed and jumped in front of the girl, creating a cloud of dust around them.

"Tsuna-chan, how did you get here so fast?" Kyoko wondered in amazement, apparently not caring that the brunette suddenly fell from the sky. But as the dust around them disappeared, Tsuna blinked slowly, knees wobbling and looking around in confusion. There was no flame on her forehead anymore, though it was throbbing painfully.

"Eh?" She blinked at Kyoko, who was looking funnily at her "What happened?"

"Why are you wearing that?" She pointed towards her lack of clothes. Tsuna blushed and opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn't think of anything. She couldn't understand what just happened. 

"I have no idea" She confessed in distress, which made Kyoko pat her in the shoulders. 

"Well, you can't go like that to school" The orange-haired girl said and took off her school blazer before handing it to the shivering brunette “Here, put this on. Tsuna-chan, you could get sick” 

"Kyoya will bite me to death this time for sure" Tsuna shivered at that thought, accepting the piece of cloth gratefully and quickly putting it on. 

"If only I had an extra uniform," Kyoko said with a little frown. 

"I-It's alright, we have Home Economics at first, so I guess I will skip to go home and get changed" Tsuna smiled at her, trying to to make her worry and trying to keep a panic attack from happening "Y-You better go, I'd see you in a bit"

"Okay" Kyoko nodded, though a bit worry at the state of her friend "Be careful"

"Yeah..." Tsuna watched her go, it was only until she doubled the corner that she let out a heavy breath and leaned heavily against the wall, her body feeling suddenly tired and sore. She swallowed dryly, before turning to glare at the baby "You have some answers for me"

Reborn hid his eyes with his fedora and jumped on the brunette's head. She was tempted to grab him and kick him far away, but first, she needed to change. She almost wanted to scream, after all that morning trouble to just skip the first period. She was jittery and twitchy as she walked back home, striking to walls and hiding whenever a student rushed past. It was so embarrassing to be seen this way, and though the jacket and shorts covered her body, the thought that she was almost naked made her want to curl down in shame. 

Luckily, Nana had gone out to the market, so Tsuna was able to sneak inside the house and went to her room to get change. 

Reborn took his chance to look around the place while Tsuna changed while mumbling things like 'devil's child' , 'I thought I died' and 'So embarrassing’. 

The room was messy, with clothes, books and papers lying on the floor. But apart from that, it didn't have many things. There was her bed just across the window, giving her the perfect view of the sky from outside. Her desk was full of painting materials, he noted. Seemed like she was on the artistic side. There was colourful paint, paintbrushes, pencils and a few sketches here and there. 

There was also a painting of the sunset sky hanging on the wall, along with a big clock. A small TV, shelves full of books and mangas, a coffee table in the middle of the room and her closet in the back completed the room. It was plain, yet not boring. It had a charm to it.

"Alright, first of all," Tsuna stood in front of him in her spare school uniform "What just happened? Why did I lose control over my body? And why was I in underwear?"

"You call that underwear?" Reborn raised an eyebrow.

"Answer my question" Tsuna glared at him.

"It's thanks to the dying will bullet," He said and jumped to sit on her bed. Comfy, he noted. And with his hand, he took out a red bullet and showed it to the brunette. "This bullet here is the dying will bullet. A person shot in the head with this bullet will be resurrected"

"What?" Tsuna looked at the baby in disbelief.

"It's quite simple, if you have any regrets when dying, you will resurrect to fulfil that regret. The dying will time is only five minutes, which is why I let you run around" He said calmly.

"Then what if I wasn't regretting anything?" Tsuna demanded.

"You die"

"And you still shot me!" She exclaimed in horror.

"I'm a Hitman" Reborn said with a glint in his eyes.

"That's not comforting!"

"Dying will means that all your safety switches are turned off," Reborn told the angry brunette "So in exchange for risking your life to the limit, you can earn amazing strength"

"You mean, I can't be dame anymore?" She asked with a hopeful smile.

"So you **do** are dame" Reborn looked at the brunette with narrowed eyes.

"It happens sometimes" She murmured and crossed her arms "That aside, are you going to tell me why you are here now?"

"Under orders of Timoteo, Vongola’s Nono, I shall train you to become a great mafia boss" Reborn said, expecting for the girl to scream or some reaction, but all he got was a dry laugh.

"Me? Boss? Yeah right" She said with a smile "Sorry little guy, I think you got the wrong person"

"Tsunayuuki Sawada, daughter of Iemitsu Sawada, leader of the CEDEF association, and Sawada Nana. Average girl, big brown caramel eyes, chestnut messy hair, a loner and a dame-girl. I'm never mistaken.” He said while reading some paper he mysteriously took out.

"What are you, a stalker?" she murmured a bit creeped out by his information, although anyone could know that. As if knowing her thoughts, he pointed the green gun at her again, only this time, it was in a threatening manner. 

"I'm not a patient man, so let's go to business, shall we?" He said with a smirk.

"Why should I become a boss? I'm just a schoolgirl, nothing special" Tsuna moved around the room until she was facing the window.

"You are wrong," Reborn said and showed her what appeared to be an old family tree. "The first boss of the family retired and went to Japan. He settled in and had a family on his own. He is your great, great, great grandfather. In other words, since you inherit his blood, you are the legitimate heir to become the next Vongola boss"

"W-What?!" Tsuna exclaimed in shock "Vongola… No, there has to be someone else"

"All the previous candidates were unfortunately killed," Reborn said with a raised eyebrow at the expression of the brunette "The Ninth sent me here to train the future boss, much to my annoyance, I never expected a moody girl"

"I refuse" Tsuna glared at the baby and crossed her arms.

"You can't" He crossed his arms too.

"But why the boss of the mafia, can't you train me to become a hitman instead?" Tsuna tried to persuade him, but Reborn merely pointed with his gun at her, again.

"Here's the thing," He said with a stern face "I'm here under orders to turn you into a boss, no matter the methods. So if you don't cooperate with me, I'll shoot"

"Never raise your gun at me, is that clear baby?" She glared at him with a dark aura suddenly coming out from her body. One would be worried that an innocent girl like her could release such murderous aura. But this is Reborn we are talking about.

 _Such killing intent ... I like it._ He thought with a smirk behind his fedora. 

"You know what," Tsuna murmured in exhaustion "Whatever, I'm heading to school"

She walked out of the house and made her way towards Nami-chuu, a short name for Namimori middle, for the second time in that morning. People who crossed her way scattered away immediately by the aura that was emitting the girl. Reborn followed her close, but gave her some space, knowing that the murderous aura was most likely directed towards him. It intrigued him that she could release such aura and wondered if she was even aware of it. Seems like he had a lot of material for experiments. 

She arrived at school, sighing in relief when the gates were still opened and that she wasn't found by any teacher or the disciplinary committee. Changing into her indoor shoes, she went to class while taking long deep breaths to calm down her beating heart. She opened the door quietly and poked her head. What a stroke of luck! There was no teacher.

With a relieved sigh, she walked inside and towards her chair. Kyoko immediately went towards her in worry and relief that she made it, and Tsuna handed her her blazer with a thank you. They engaged in a conversation in which Hana somehow also joined. Tsuna liked Hana's attitude because she was a girl that wasn't afraid to speak up her mind, she was blunt and confident, something the brunette really admired. And she found it amusing on how she treated the boys in the classroom as if they were stupid monkeys.

The teacher arrived a few minutes later, and thankfully it was history class, so Tsuna could spend the whole class staring at nothing without being worried about being called out. When she went to sleep last night, she didn’t imagine she would wake up with the devil knocking at her door. She couldn’t even grasp the idea that a hitman had come to her house and proclaimed to train her to become a mafia boss. Her? It seemed like a bad joke. 

Her thoughts had drifted for hours, even when lunchtime had arrived, she couldn’t seem to get the idea out of her head. It sounded crazy and absurd, but there was a part of her that found it thrilling, and that scared her because ever since she woke up for the second time in the day, she couldn’t help but shake the feeling that there was something smoldering inside of her.

Whatever it was that the baby shot her with, she could still feel it in her body. There was a tingling in her fingertips and echo in her thoughts, it seems to be saying something but she couldn't understand what it was. She felt like she was losing her mind. 

Seeing as she was too busy in her own world, Kyoko dragged her outside to eat lunch, and she was grateful. Maybe some air will help clear her head. 

As she let herself be dragged, she ignored whatever gossip the girls in her class were brewing and the stares from the boys that felt more piercing than before. For a moment she felt panic that someone saw her running in her undergarments or that they heard whatever Reborn was saying, but as they made their way out and a sudden breeze of air blew past her, she relaxed. It felt like it was soothing her worry in a reassuring way. 

It was creepy. 

“You seem restless, Sawada” Hana said as she finished chewing, having been watching the brunette since she walked into the classroom.

“I’m fine” Tsuna reassured her as she played with the rice in her bento, not feeling hungry despite not having enough for breakfast but trying to play along as she knew that the raven-haired girl was observant as a hawk. And smart too. “Why do you still call me by my surname? We’ve shared lunch many times”

“Sawada, Tsuna, Tsunayuuki, it sounds the same to me” 

“I like my name” She mumbled, giving up in her lunch and closing the lid despite Hana’s stern face. 

“I like Tsuna-chan too” Kyoko added with a smile, making Hana sigh and stand up. She dusted her skirt from any crumbs and gave them a hard look. 

“I have to return a book to the library, don’t be late for class. Kyoko, you’re in charge” With that, she turned to walk away. 

“Rude!” 

Hana really was a strict woman, it really surprised her how she hadn’t run for student president in all the years she had known her. 

"She is right to worry, Tsuna-chan. You have been spacing out" Kyoko said with a worried face. 

"I'm fine" That excuse appeared to be running out, it seems. Because Kyoko gave her a pout which meant she knew the brunette was not okay but wasn't going to press for answers. Tsuna sometimes wondered how they became friends.

“Just make sure to take a break if you’re feeling tired, alright?” 

“Alright” She gave her a little smile. 

It wasn’t long for the bell to sound and signal the end of lunch. And Tsuna was just really, really, really thankful her class didn’t have Math today or else she was sure she would cry. She could always skip, but that wouldn't save her from Nedzu’s wrath, sometimes it was like he signalled her out on purpose.

With a sigh, Tsuna stood up to walk back inside but had to stop at a peculiar sight in front of her. It seemed like in her self-pity time, Kyoko had walked farther ahead, and she looked troubled. There was a spiky-haired boy flirting with her, and it was clear that Kyoko didn’t want to be there but was too gentle to walk away. 

Where was Hana when you needed her? She would have slapped the boy before he even dared to touch Kyoko. The brunette didn’t realize she was walking until they both turned to see her at the sound of her voice. 

"Mochida-senpai, you asked me out yesterday and now you’re asking my best friend? That's low, even for you" Tsuna stood next to the girl, making Kyoko smile in gratitude and for Mochida to frown. 

"Tsunayuuki," He said with a tiny glare at her, obviously displeased by her interference "That's it! I had enough of your snarky comments and attitude, you dare refuse a date with me, yet you push the other girls away!"

"It's not my fault you don't notice that they don’t want to go out with you" Tsuna grabbed hold of one of Kyoko’s arms to steer her away and to hide her sudden trembling by the unexpected sprout of bravery that made her pull that stunt. "L-Let's go inside, Kyoko"

"Yes" The orange-haired girl nodded and hooked their arms as a sign of female unity. They were barely inside before a hand on her shoulder made her jump and stopped her.

"Wait," Mochida said from behind them. "Stop running away from me, are you that scared to face me? Tsunayuuki, you know how to fight but I’m not asking for a duel. One date wouldn't hurt'' 

"Alright, let's do it" Tsuna bit her tongue as the words came out from her mouth. She stared at Mochida in shock, who was looking back at her surprise. Even Kyoko was looking at her in confusion at her sudden admission. 

"R-Really?" Mochida asked with a smirk.

"Yeah, let's fight" She did not know where the courage to do something stupid was coming from but she needed to stop in case she did something foolish. 

It took a few seconds for her words to settle in, and by that time she realized what she just agreed to, whispers were starting to run like a mill as students around them were looking in anticipation and jibes.

“Alright. After school, me and you. If I win, then you will go on a date with me” Mochida said with arrogance, as if foreseeing his triumph “I will see you at the gym” 

With one last smirk, he turned around to walk away, laughing with his friends as they started making jokes about the recent situation with him. 

“What the hell?” She whispered in shock, and if it weren’t for Kyoko still holding her arm, she would have collapsed on the ground. “Kyoko, what did I just do?” 

“You agreed to fight him. You must be hanging out a lot with Hibari-san” 

Tsuna grimaced loudly at that.

What the hell was happening to her? 

.

.

.

“I leave for a minute and you get into a fight like a brainless monkey” Hana growled at her as she and Koko walked the brunette to her doom. 

“It wasn’t my fault!” 

As soon as they had returned to their classroom, it seemed like the whole school had found out her stupid dare. The girls from her class hadn’t been quiet in their mean gossip, and even some boys were starting to make bets on her. Hana was furious, even more, when Kyoko explained what actually happened and how the fight came to be. 

It was really strange for the brunette to do something like that, usually, she would just ignore the guys bothering her, but for her to challenge a stupid monkey on her own volition was something really stupid. Or admirable, as Kyoko kept saying.

Tsuna kept lamenting her fate even after classes were over, and all thoughts of the Mafia and Rebron were forgotten as a sudden wave of anxiety wrapped around her when the school bell rang loudly. Because word of the fight had run wild, she knew half the school - if not more - will go to watch. And that only added to her nerves, because she didn’t want to give them a show. She could easily get hit or trip on her own and then everyone will laugh and tease her for days. 

And she really didn’t want that. 

She did consider not showing up, even going as far as thinking of hiding in the disciplinary committee office. But when she tried to run away at her first chance, her exit was blocked by howler students making their way to the gym to watch the duel. It's not like they hadn't seen Tsuna fight before, though most of the time she was being bitten to death by their demon prefect. So this must be something exciting for them. 

The sight of the gym doors made her swallow. 

“Okay. Just don’t lose your focus and ignore all the monkeys screeching” And that was the kindest piece of support she could ever get from Hana. Really appreciated. 

“Don’t think too much, Tsuna-chan. Remember the moves that my brother taught you, it might help”

They probably wouldn’t, because as they walked inside, Tsuna was able to see Mochida standing in the middle of the court, wearing his kendo gear and holding a wooden sword with perfect ease. Tsuna didn’t even know how to hold a bat. 

Of course, with the boy being the kendo captain, he was going to pull whatever it was to guarantee his win, after all, they didn’t accord how they were going to fight. So he clearly knew what he was doing and was not taking any chances. 

When Mochida saw her, he smirked with confidence. But Tsuna ignored him in favour of stretching and trying to buy time to think of a plan. She didn’t like kendo so she didn’t know the rules, but it shouldn’t be that hard, right? All she needed to do was hit him or something and then she could go home and pretend that this day never happened. That seemed like a plan. 

"Alright, let's start," Mochida said as he walked closer to her "Since you are a beginner of kendo, I'll let you win if you can get two points from me. If you can't, then I win"

It was too easy. He clearly had something planned, his smirk told her that. He wouldn’t fall too low as to bribe the game to his favour, could he? And when Tsuna didn’t move or rise to his bait, the kendo player pointed his sword towards the orange-haired girl. 

"And the bonus prize is Sasagawa Kyoko" 

"What a jerk" Hana sighed annoyed and Kyoko wrinkled her nose at being treated like an object. 

"Now this is personal" Tsuna murmured and finally stepped towards the centre of the court. 

She ignored all the screams and yells from around her, as she tried to focus on her own mind and body. She needed to be fast at dodging, that was probably going to be her ace. If she could hit the boy while she dodged his heavy attack, then maybe she could grab some easy points. Nodding to herself, she breathed out and shook her hands to try to calm her nerves. It would be more embarrassing if she puked before the fight really started.

That mental image did not help at all soothe her down, and as she stood there under the artificial lights from the gym, she could only pray that her bad luck wouldn't appear and make her fall in the worst possible moment.

 _‘Just calm down and remember what you know.’_ She thought to herself _‘If I win this, then Mochida and probably many guys will leave Kyoko alone. Just channel your inner Hibari and it will be fine… will it be fine?’_

Above them, sitting on one of the light platforms at the ceiling was Reborn with a bag of popcorn and an opened notebook at his side. Leon, his trusted chameleon companion who could morph into millions of objects, was acting as some binoculars to help him spy better. It did surprise him how easily the girl threw herself to a fight when moments before, she was a ball of nerves. 

He was tempted to shoot the girl with the dying will bullet to see the outcome, but when he saw the resolve to protect Kyoko flash in her eyes, he decided to test her. To see what was hidden in her. 

“Just like a lioness. You're protective of your cubs. Good, let’s see what you can do” he said, interested in what was to come.

“Fighters, start!” The one who was acting as a judge, yelled as he waved a small flag to signal them to move. 

"Let's go!" Mochida yelled and ran towards her, raising his kendo sword in the process and not giving her any chance to at least grab the proper equipment to defend herself. 

“Hey!- 

She tried to yell at him to stop, but his sword was suddenly descending on her fast. She did the first thing her body could think off, she jumped to the side and rolled on the floor to evade the falling attack. And she was so glad that Hana made her change into her P.E. uniform, or else this would have turned into a more embarrassing show, even if she was wearing spandex shorts beneath her skirt. 

She quickly stood up and looked at him with anger, he was totally playing dirty and no one was going to stop him. She couldn’t exactly wrestle him to grab his own kendo sword for herself, that would disqualify her for sure, so how the hell was she supposed to win? 

"Tsuna!" Someone called her from the sidelines with urgency and she quickly turned to see a boy with short black hair throwing her a kendo stick. She stumbled a little as she caught it, but at least she now had a weapon.

"Thanks" She smiled at the boy and turned just in time to block one of Mochida's attacks.

And so it began, Mochida started attacking her while all Tsuna did was dodge and block the sword with her own. Her arms might not look like it, but fighting with an energetic boxer and a violent metal tonfa's wielder had made her arms more resilient for withstanding impacts such as stopping a heavy strike of a sword. 

By this point, she was sure they weren’t abiding by the Kendo rules, but again, no one was stopping them. Quite the contrary, everyone seemed more riled up as the duel continued. 

After a few minutes, Mochida was getting restless for not being able to land one single point and started to attack her fast, his movements not coordinated to try and make her lose her focus and balance. But Tsuna read his intentions and once she saw the perfect opening, she stepped aside and lashed the sword forwards, aiming towards his chest when he raised both of his hands to try and strike her down from above. It clearly backfired for him and the hit in his chest made him stumble backwards in shock.

"Point for me" She said with a pant that echoed as the whole gym went silent. Clearly not expecting the first point to go for her. However, no one else moved, not even the judge who should have called her point. 

"Oi, you stupid monkey, didn't you see or are you blind? She made the point" Hana said harshly as she stepped towards him with a glare. The judge, intimidated by the angry look of the girl, shrunk back and raised a tiny red flag with a shaking arm. 

"P-point for the red"

"What?" Mochida exclaimed and turned to face the brunette, who shrugged in response. That pulled the trigger, and Mochida went on a rampage, trying to land a hit on the brunette, but she simply dodged with ungainly agility and a tiny bit of grace. 

From his place, Reborn was taking note of the brunette's movements. His information didn't say that she knew how to fight or even defend herself, if anything, it said that she was a clumsy good for nothing girl. But after seeing her put that stunt in the stairs and her ability to dodge the sword from the kendo captain, it made him feel curious. Because either the information regarding the girl was wrong or the brunette was hiding something.

However, a squeak halted his thoughts and made him look down. Everyone was looking with pity and sick amusement at the brunette sprawled on the floor, who apparently stumbled over nothing and fell, thus making Mochida finally mark a point for himself. Well, he can checkmark 'clumsy' from his notes then. 

Groaning, Tsuna stood up and glared at the floor while cursing her bad luck for making her be _dame_ in such a crucial moment. It was like a curse that was there to torment her and acted whenever it pleased. It didn’t matter how careful or concentrated she was, her body sometimes just betrayed her, it felt like a glitch or something. 

“Tsuna-chan!” Kyoko’s voice rang out across the gym and the brunette quickly looked up to see Mochida running towards her with no intention of giving her a moment to breathe. With aching legs, she barely jumped to the side and was able to dodge the incoming attack from the guy. She didn't know how much she could last, so she needed to win this fast, whatever it takes. 

Seeing the brunette falter made him reach towards Leon with the intent to shoot her with the dying will bullet to give her the extra boost she needed, but once again, he was stopped when he saw a sudden flicker of light flashing in her eyes. Ah, there it was again, that resolve.

He was pleased to know that she has potential from what he had seen so far, so they could skip introductory training and start with the fun part.

Tsuna almost stumbled once again when she was forced to step back rapidly, but managed to regain her footing when Mochida wasted some seconds laughing, thinking he clearly had a good shot and taking the opportunity to aim for the brunette’s head. But Tsuna ducked just in time and rolled to the side. 

Standing up, she locked her sword with Mochida’s once more. Both of them kept pushing each other, but neither of them was giving up. At least he wasn't playing dirtier by kicking her or stepping on her feet on purpose, she thought with slight difficulty as her arms started to hurt by the strain she was forcing on them. 

Yells of excitement were flowing around them, the students cheering and howling for the match to end. She knew none of those yells were for her, even if Kyoko was cheering, her soft voice was swallowed down by the loud roar in the gym. It was fine though, she didn’t need to hear the cheers to know that there was someone who supported her. 

And that thought fired her up.

There was a tingle at the back of her head that tore a gasp out of her, and her body moved on its own, jumping back when the kendo captain did a spin and tried to surprise her with a strike from below. 

She stared at him with open eyes, surprised by her own reaction for she was sure she did not see that last stunt coming. She tightened the grip in her sword to shake away the humming at the back of her mind. Everything felt so clear and different, it was like she had fallen into a dream and woke up there in control. 

It was like she knew what she needed to do. 

**Three steps.**

That’s how long it will take for the fight to come to an end. 

Frowning slightly at the discomfort in her head, she narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath. Mochida smirked, thinking she had let her guard down and moved towards her with the intent to finish the duel by striking his sword diagonally. 

_‘One, two..’_ Tsuna raised her kendo sword and in one flawless movement, she slapped the sword out of Mochida's hand as it came down and before everyone knew it, she was aiming her own sword to his neck. 

He stared at her in surprise, not processing what had happened or even realizing he had lost his weapon. And he wasn't the only one, everyone had hushed into quiet and stared in equal shock at the outcome. However, they didn't wait to make their displeasure known. There were yells and jibes of outrage, with some voicing their hostility for the brunette. 

"Two points. I win, so you'll leave Kyoko alone" Tsuna said quietly, lowering the kendo sword with a shaky arm and ignoring all the bad words being aimed at her. The kendo captain frowned at her, but Tsuna didn’t want to stick around for a potential round two or hear whatever argument he might say. 

At the lack of discipline, Hana, who had remained standing next to the student acting as a judge in case he tried to cheat, cleared her throat to snap his attention and make him end this circus, so at her glare, he raised the red flag with a shaky hand. 

"W-Winner is, S-Sawada Tsunayuuki" He announced before running from Mochida's and Hana’s.

"I don't accept this!" Mochida exclaimed and made a move to stop the brunette from walking away, but a tan-skinned boy with short whitish hair stopped him by wrapping an arm around his shoulders. 

"Don't be an extremely sore loser, Mochida!" He said in a loud voice, making Kyoko giggle, for it was her brothers as she made her way towards the brunette. 

"Don't go for girls all day Mochida-senpai, find someone and get to know her" Tsuna said softly before turning to make her way back to Kyoko so that she could hide and escape all this. 

"Wait, I want a rematch! That wasn’t even Kendo!” Mochida tried to get out of the grasp of Ryohei and glared at the brunette but the grip was too strong. "You-

He stopped whatever he was going to say but he wasn’t the only one. Everyone in the gym shut up when a dark aura surrounded the gym and when the presence made himself known, walking calmly and wielding two metal tonfas, they all shivered in fear for not only were they staying after school without permission, they were loitering around creating a ruckus. 

"For creating a crowd, not letting me enjoy my nap, disturbing Namimori's peace and skipping classes." The monotone voice listed, making them all gulp "Sawada Tsunayuuki, I will bite you to death"

Of course, when the little brunette was signalled out everyone ran out from the gym like fire was at their feet. Everyone was pushing and pulling others to escape, not caring who was being left behind. Kyoko didn’t want to leave her friend alone, but Hana simply sighed and tugged her to walk along while muttering about stupid monkeys, besides, now that Hibari-san was here, maybe Tsuna could calm down, she thought.

Of course, her thoughts weren’t mirrored by her brunette friend.

"Kyoya, hello" Tsuna brought the kendo sword closer to her chest as a made-up shield and tried to smile at the grumpy boy who was glaring at her. 

It seemed like her luck had run out, because the next thing she knew, she was running for her life around the gym as she tried to evade and dodge Hibari’s crazy attacks despite her yells and cries. 

"I'm hurt! I can't fight!" 

"Don't be a herbivore" 

Reborn smirked in amusement when he saw the boy beat the daylights out of the brunette, who at least tried to fight back, but it seems as if her _dame-mode_ was on, thus making her stumble every time she tried to run away or weakly block the attacks. Knowing that she was going to be busy for some time, he went outside to make an important call.

10 minutes later, Tsuna was laying on the floor gasping for air. Her body was aching and full of bruises, it felt heavy and tired, and every time she tried to get up, her arms shook in protest and made her fall to the ground with a weak groan.

"That's enough" Hibari said as he finally lowered his weapons. 

"W-Wait" Tsuna tried to stand, but her arms buckled at having no energy left. 

"You can barely stand up" Hibari pointed with a raised eyebrow. Not mocking, just observant. 

"And whose fault is that!?"

She, however, accepted the peace offering and remained on the ground with no intention to move for a while. She hadn't been exercising and it showed by the pain in her muscles. Bringing an arm to shield her eyes, she stayed there and pondered why she suddenly felt as if exercising and training were going to become hell for her. 

"You are still a little animal" Hibari sighed and went to sit next to her. He checked his watch as he had nothing else to do for the day. By this time the school should be empty of any students and he was sure that his subordinates who were in patrol duty would herd away any lingering herbivores. Maybe tomorrow he can bite to death the other herbivore who fought the brunette for arranging a clandestine fight without your consent.

"What am I gonna do now, Kyoya?" Tsuna's dull voice made him turn to see her with a silent question and as if feeling his gaze, she sighed heavily. "I'm in a huge mess right now"

"Keep fighting," Hibari said while closing his eyes "That's what carnivores do"

"But I'm not a carnivore" She turned her head and removed her arm from her eyes so that she could see him. 

"Yet" He smirked, which made her roll her eyes and turn her head away from him.

"I don't know if I want to be one" She murmured and closed her eyes.

"Then don't"

His answer was too simple, yet it was enough for her. 

"Thank you"

With a tired smile, Tsuna succumbed into a peaceful nap, ignoring the aches in her body and the mysterious echo in her thoughts. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

School was finally over for her.

The moment she woke from her nap and walked out of the gates with no souls around her to bother her on her walk home made her finally reflect about today's events. 

She hadn't seen Reborn since midday, but she was sure he was near, plotting something against her, maybe. And that was all that has plagued her mind. For a hitman to come knocking at her door and proclaiming she was the heir for the title of becoming boss of Vongola... It made her frown and put a bitter taste in her mouth. 

Was this the stupid feeling of dread she had been feeling? Was it anticipating a hitman holding her life sentence in his hands? It sounds absurd and impossible, but there was something, a feeling or an inexplicable sensation deep within her that was making her feel as if everything the hitman had claimed was the truth. 

There was no way she was going to join the mafia. It took her years for her to build up her little life here, and even though it wasn't perfect, she quite liked having afternoon tea and baking cookies with her mother. She liked hanging out with Kyoko and Hana and even spending time with Kyoya. She wasn't just going to accept someone's else's wishes and endanger the people closest to her just because someone thought she could be a mafia boss. 

It's not like they were going to force her, right? 

She looked up at the sky as if expecting someone to answer, but all she got was the harsh rays of the sun shining down on her.

Whatever it was, joke or not, she couldn't just stand still and do nothing. There was a lot at stake and if she wasn't careful... everything she knew could crumb to the ground with or without her. It's not what she wanted, but maybe if she played her cards right, maybe something good could come out of this. 

"I'm home!" She said once she opened the door to her house and walked inside. 

"Welcome home, Tsuna-chan" Nana exclaimed from the kitchen. 

Tsuna was removing her shoes when the sudden urge to scream took hold of her. She froze up and looked up towards the stairs with horror sinking inside of her. No.way.in.hell. With an angry snarl, she dashed upstairs towards her room and opened the door with a loud bang. 

"Ciaossu" Reborn greeted her, not turning to see her as he was busy folding some of his clothes in one of her drawers. 

“Get out!” 

Were his simple words as he closed the drawer and jumped over a side of a wall where he had apparently installed a hammock as his resting place.

"As your tutor, I have to keep an eye on you 24/7. Didn't you read my flyer?" He asked innocently, not bothered by her loud voice. 

“Y-You can’t just, No! You can’t sleep in my room!” She yelled in frustration. It was one thing to have the baby living in her house, it was another one have him sleeping in her room with her. 

“Deal with it”

Were his simple words as he closed the drawer and jumped over a side of a wall where he had apparently installed a hammock as his resting place. 

"My life sucks" She murmured in distress as she fell on her bed, cursing all the years of bad luck that had joined to ruin her life.

"Speaking of life. Who are you, really?"

"Hm?" Tsuna turned to look at him in confusion. Hadn't he already stalked her?

"Where did you learn to fight?" He asked with narrowed eyes "Those reflexes are not common, obviously you had training before"

"I trained here and there, no big deal" The hitman frowned at the lack of information, but that only meant that he was going to have to find out the bad way.

Tsuna, for her part, stood up from her bed and went towards the window, if only to get away from his black stare. Today had been crazy, it felt almost surreal. But she knew it _was_ real, because her nerves had been tingling whenever she thought or stared at Reborn to remind her that she was awake. It wasn’t painful, but the sudden urge to curl up and cry was almost overwhelming. It somehow felt like she was giving up on something important to gain something else. 

And the scariest thing was that she didn't know the reason why. 

"Reborn"

The baby hitman turned to see his new student who was gazing at the sky beyond the window where the sun was starting to set and paint the world in tones of orange. He couldn't see her eyes, for her back was turned to him, but he could feel the determination in her voice as she talked.

"I will follow your game, for now," Tsuna said quietly "But once I say it's over, I'm done"

The baby hitman raised an eyebrow at her sudden acceptance, for the girl was in denial and close to having a panic fit when he told her the news so for her to change her mind was curious. But he couldn't help but feel excited. The brunette had shown raw potential and he knew he will have a lot of fun torturing -well-, teaching her in the ways of the underground and moulding her to be a rightful Mafiosi. And he will make sure to groom her into a strong Mafia Boss. 

Little did he know that Tsuna had her own reasons for accepting and that things weren't going to be as simple as they all thought they'd be. Nevertheless, Reborn smirked just as Tsuna closed her eyes as if to seal their fates.

Let the game begin.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Weekly updates until it's on par with the current FF.net chapter  
> Thanks for reading!


	2. Holding on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter warning: mentions of depression and suicide attempt. You-Know-Who. Don't worry, he'll be okay.

.

.

Humans.

It is so extraordinary how each individual has its own existence in the world. Living their own lives, creating different memories and sharing experiences every day with one another. The concept of creation and individuality was so thrilling and yet, it was also sad.

Existing in a world where you were no one was sad.

Even when he wasn't completely alone, he felt lonely. Why? Because he knew this wasn't his world, surrounded by those hollow people with their empty words. He didn't belong there, he didn't want to belong with them. He was better off alone instead of pretending to be someone he is not. That’s what he tells himself everyday when the ache of loneliness threatens to choke him.

Today was a bright summer day in Italy, the sky was clear of any clouds but the cool air kept you fresh in your stride. But despite it being so bright, there was a certain monotony in the world around him. Gazing at the streets from his place in the ground, he could only blink as the world passed in front of him without noticing him or caring to notice.

It was sad, indeed.

He sighed and drew his knees closer to him. Time just continued ticking and he knew that when the sun sent down and the sky turned down, he had to return to that desolated place. But he didn’t want to. He didn't want to see his broken family again, not after...

Another sigh escaped him and he closed his eyes in sadness at the memory to prevent them from watering. 

Fake, the world was fake. It just leads you on with its colours and wonders and makes you believe in a happy ending. There was more pain than beauty and he felt like a fool for believing he could have a merry life. But nothing was going to be the same anymore, it's like the world had lost its magic and he could see humans for what they really were. 

He knew what was out there, how people really behaved.

There are those who lived in greed for power.

Those who live to fight for survival.

Those foolish enough that enjoyed saving people, as well as those nefarious ones that destroy the peace.

And then there were those who simply waited for something to happen.

But then, what does that make him? What was his purpose in this world when he was no one and had no one?

Too busy in his own misery, he didn’t realize there was someone in front of him until he felt a shadow block the sun. Alarmed, he snapped his eyes open in a snarl of warning and eyed the person in front of him with disgust.

There was a little girl standing in front of him, looking at him with wide innocent eyes full of wonder. He wanted to scowl and yell at her to get lost. But before he could react, the girl extended her hand, showing him a puffy dandelion.

He looked between the small flower and the girl in confusion and slight annoyance. But once again, the strange girl in front of him did something that stopped him from reacting.

She smiled.

A bright smile full of hope.

The little girl in front of him then grabbed his hand when he didn’t move and gently made him hold the little flower.

He was startled by the action, but staring at it made a warm feeling start to grow inside him. It was like, all of his worries were suddenly gone, it made him feel welcomed and at peace. Wanting to question the girl, he looked up, but sadly, there was no one there. He looked around, trying to find her, but couldn't.

With a sigh, he stood up and looked at the tiny dandelion in his hand.

He didn't know why, but staring at that little flower made him want to smile. He hadn’t felt this feeling since… well, since he lost his mother. And for a stranger to give him such a little gift without asking anything in return, it warmed something in him. She was a fool, an innocent fool that was going to be devoured by the darkness. 

And as if being a contagious curse, the sudden urge to protect such innocence flared within him. The dandelion was more like a small beacon of light in the dark, so tiny and simple. And suddenly he knew that although life was tough and lonely right now, one day he will find his purpose.

And he will protect it.

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was a beautiful morning.

The sky was blue, the birds were chirping and a happy Sawada Nana was humming to herself in the kitchen while she made breakfast. Sadly, it was the total opposite of her daughter’s mood.

Reborn woke the brunette up really early to make her jog in the streets and then after a few threats and shots after she slowed down, he made her run for an hour before returning home to take a cold shower. Why? Because the hot water stopped functioning. Mysteriously. That's why.

She was really tempted to kick Reborn out of the window, - having the feeling that he was the one who messed with her shower - but she knew that if she even tried to do something like that, it will only cause her hours and hours of torture. Luckily, the baby hitman gave her space to at least change in her room without him being there and she was really glad that he had gentleman manners like that. 

So while Reborn was downstairs, probably eating her breakfast, Tsuna took the opportunity to make a phone call.

"Hello, this is Tsuna" Said the brunette, and rolled her eyes at the response from the other side of the phone "I don't care if it's late, I have a question"

It went quiet after that, and the person behind the phone could only expect the worse.

"What is this of me being Vongola Decimo?" She asked darkly.

Oh yes, beautiful morning indeed.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Bye Mom!" Tsuna yelled while she put on her shoes at the door.

"Have a good day" Nana said from inside before Tsuna closed the door and started to walk to school. She thought she had escaped successfully, but only just a couple of steps away from her house she felt an annoying weight landing on top of her head. 

"Why do you have to follow me?" She asked the baby, who was sitting on the top of her head. He has taken a liking to that place, so she was starting to get used to his presence. It didn’t mean she liked it though. 

"I'll stick with you no matter where you go, so get used to it" 

"And sleeping in my bed isn't good enough?" Tsuna asked with a twitching eye.

They had a discussion last night, one of Tsuna arguing hotly that she wouldn't wake up at dawn to train mafia-style and with Reborn calmly saying otherwise. In the end, Reborn kicked Tsuna to the floor and slept in her bed while Tsuna was left planning a way to get her revenge on a makeshift bed.

"Pay attention, Dame-Tsuna. I finished writing your training schedule” Reborn said while reading a small notebook where he was keeping his notes on her "You will run every morning before going to school and eat breakfast, that is, if you are not running late." Tsuna made a snarl, but the baby continued "You will pay attention to class, and take notes; I will check your work later on, no low grades or your training will increase"

"You can't be serious!" She exclaimed.

"You will also accept every challenge that is presented to you and come victorious no matter what" The baby said, clearly ignoring her protest.

"And if I refuse?" She crossed her arms.

"I can always shoot you and you will be running around in your underwear" Tsuna shut her mouth with an annoyed expression. 

"What's next on the list?" She murmured, making Reborn smirk.

"After school, we’ll start training your body. Seeing as you already know some basic self-defence moves, we’ll move to the offensive side” 

"And who will I fight? You?" Tsuna pondered with a laugh but cried in pain when she found herself on the ground with Reborn pinning her effortlessly "A-Alright, I get it! You are strong"

"After training, you go back home and I expect for you to have your homework done if you want to sleep in your bed again." Reborn said as he let go of the brunette "Then we’ll repeat all that over and over until I say so"

"You are the devil" Tsuna murmured and rubbed her sore neck.

"And Dame-Tsuna" Reborn said and stopped walking, for they were in front of the school.

"What?" Tsuna looked down at him.

"Be aware of your surroundings all the time" Reborn said mysteriously and hid his face with his fedora. His pet chameleon, only stuck his tongue at her as if to mock her with the ominous words of the hitman. 

"I get it, I get it" Tsuna yawned and walked inside "Now go before someone sees you"

But she received no answer. She looked behind and saw that the baby was already gone. Cursing the hitman silently, she went to her looker and changed into her indoor shoes.

"Good morning, Tsuna-chan" 

"Kyoko" Tsuna nodded at her when the orange-haired girl approached her with a smile. "Good morning"

"Ne, did you hear about the new transfer student?" Asked Kyoko while both girls made their way to class.

"A new student? In the middle of the year?" Tsuna raised an eyebrow "That's strange"

"I wonder if it's a girl or a boy" Kyoko put her finger on her chin "What do you think?"

"Who knows" Tsuna shrugged. Although she had the feeling it was going to be a boy. How odd. 

Both girls entered their classroom and went to their seats. A couple of minutes later, the teacher walked in with the new student. The girls immediately blushed at his appearance which made some guys roll their eyes at their reactions. The guy looked like a delinquent, if the way he wore his uniform and the bored look in his eyes was any indication. And his indifferent expression screamed that he wasn’t there to make friends.

"Class, we have a new student" The sensei presented the silver-haired boy next to him "He was studying abroad in Italy until now, his name is Gokudera Hayato, please treat him well"

 _'Gokudera...Gokudera...why does that name rings a bell?'_ Tsuna searched in her memory while her eyes were focused on the world behind the window at her left. She wasn't paying attention to what the teacher was saying, neither to the glare that was aimed at her direction. _“Don't tell me this is Reborn’s doing'_

Suddenly, she jumped out of her seat before a foot made contact with the desk and tripped it over. She could only watch with wide eyes as it fell to the floor before looking up at the silver-haired boy glaring down at her. He scowled when he got no other reaction and bumped his shoulders with hers when he walked away, ignoring the teacher’s calls or the murmurs.

 _'What an attitude'_ Tsuna inwardly sighed and picked her desk back up.

"Do you know him, Tsuna-chan?" Kyoko asked worriedly. She, -and Hana- was the only girl who didn't find the silver-haired boy attractive from his 'scary attitude', as the other girls put it. 

"No, I don't" Tsuna shook her head and rested her chin in her palm to resist the urge to turn towards the glare being aimed at the back of her head.

This was ridiculous, she thought. Not only did she have to live with a hitman and stand the gossip and snide remarks from everyone in the class, now she had someone looking for a fight with her, and she didn’t know why! This had Reborn’s name printed on it. She was sure this was a test or a plot to get her. 

Maybe she can hide in Kyoya’s office and set him loose to bite the guy to death. That could work, it was a good plan.

Luckily, after hours of boring lessons, school was finally over for the day and she was so glad she didn’t have any embarrassing episodes. Though her fingers hurt a little after writing notes for every subject she had. She had to at least write something down or she was sure Reborn was going to leave her without dinner. And to think that now she has to train after school! Tsuna could almost groan aloud at imagining what methods the hitman was going to use to train her.

"Yo, Tsuna" A voice from behind brought her out from her thoughts so she turned to see a boy with short spiky black hair, smiling sheepishly at her. 

"Yamamoto?" She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow when she saw he wasn't alone. Somehow, she was starting to get a bad feeling.

"You see, after the fight with Moichida-senpai, the guys wanted to see you in action again" Yamamoto said as he rubbed his head "So, we are counting on you"

"Counting on me?" Tsuna blinked "For what?"

"Volleyball" Said a guy behind Yamamoto and winked at the brunette, who simply ignored him.

"You are playing a volleyball match? I'll root for you then, Tsuna-chan" Kyoko said happily as she stood next to her with Hana.

“W-Wait, what?” Tsuna asked in shock. 

"Why do you always get involved with these brainless monkeys?" Hana sighed and shook her head in displeasure. 

"We are still here!" The guys exclaimed in offence but they were clearly ignored. 

Tsuna could only sigh in exasperation at being roped in something she didn’t want to do. Again. This was becoming a trend and she hated it, but no matter how much she refused, she always ended up doing what they wanted and then some. Maybe she should start biting people to death too, maybe that way they will leave her alone. 

Letting Hana lead her to the bathroom so she could change into her PE uniform, she ignored all the bets starting around and the piercing green eyes that followed her every move. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

Wearing only blue shorts, a white T-shirt, and her orange sneakers, Tsuna stood in front of the closed doors of the gym with dread brewing in her gut. It felt like a deja-vu, for not only a few days ago she was standing in the exact same place, waiting for her nerves to die down like they were at the moment. 

When she heard a loud cheer from inside, she made a face of annoyance and tied her hair in a high ponytail, leaving her fringe to frame her face only, so that she could keep her hands busy instead of trembling. 

"Did you plan this?" She looked down to see the baby hitman sitting on top of the fire extinguisher case and holding some popcorn in his hands. 

"Maybe" He told her calmly.

"Why? You read my academic records, I'm horrible at sports. I can't do this" Tsuna sighed in frustration as she looked at the doors again. The cheering and screaming only made her body tense in anticipation and nerves. "They're all so pumped up, I will only make a fool of myself"

"Are you running away?" Reborn asked with a raising eyebrow.

“And if I do?” 

“What would running do?” 

“I’m not their entertainment” She shook her head “I refuse to be” 

“That’s good” The hitman told her without mocking her words “But you don’t lose anything in proving them wrong” 

“I’m just… I’m just tired of being Dame-Tsuna" She sighed heavily, feeling frustrated. 

"No one will laugh if they see someone who's using all their strength and courage." The baby said wisely, making Tusna look at him with a surprised face, for the words were unexpected but surprisingly not unwelcome. 

"Reborn..." She murmured gratefully but bit her tongue when the baby continued talking.

"And since when did you become pessimistic? Or is this also one of your many faces, Tsuny-Tsundere?" Reborn taunted her.

"You!" Tsuna glared at him, feeling a blush creeping on her face for being teased like that but he simply finished chewing some popcorn and went to jump next to her. 

"Now go in there, and be a boss" Reborn kicked her leg and made her stumble forwards. 

Murmuring quietly to herself at his ridiculous peptalk, she took a deep breath, opened the doors with shaky hands and walked inside. 

Only to wish she hadn't.

There were a lot of people, even more than in her fight with Moichida, yelling and cheering and as soon as she walked in, she almost choked on her spit when her heart hammered in her chest when they all turned to see her. 

"Win to the EXTREME, Sawada!" Ryohei yelled at her from his place beside Kyoko, who gave her a bright smile and thumbs up of support. 

"You’re too loud, monkey” Hana sighed next to them, which resulted in Ryohei to yell something else and for the girl to shut him with a glare. 

Tsuna sweatdropped at the action, trying really hard to focus on something else instead of her nerves threatening to make her puke in front of everyone. Seeing someone approaching, she took small slow steps towards the court and looped up to see Yamamoto jogging towards her. 

"Glad you came, Tsuna" He said with a happy smile.

"Let's see your magic in action, Sawada-san!" One of her teammates said. Looking around the circle, she was glad to see she wasn’t the only girl in the team, although they weren’t clearly impressed by her presence. 

"Magic?" Tsuna asked confused, but before she could ask something more, a pinch in the back of her head made her turn to her right and see someone glaring at her. Ah, the new student. She almost forgot about him with all her stress in this volleyball matter. She looked at him with serious confusion, grimacing when he scowled unimpressed at her and turned to walk away. 

What the hell was his problem? It’s not like she has something to prove to him. 

"You may begin" A monotone cold voice said next to the referee.

' _What is Kyoya doing here?!_ ' She screamed in her mind as she looked at the prefect with an incredulous face, but he simply looked back at her with crossed arms in return. Traitor! 

"Let's begin the match between class A and C!” The referee said, and both teams went to their respective sides of the court. They stretched while they assigned positions, but two minutes later and the whistle blew, signalling the start of the game. 

The whole gym cheered when the ball started to jump from side to side, and Tsuna could only watch it move from here to there and try her best to follow it. 

She did stumble and flinched a lot as the game went on, it seemed like the other team was targeting her on purpose because the ball always came to her direction. Fortunately, Yamamoto was next to her, and he was hitting the missing balls that she couldn’t reach.

But then the rotation in positions came, and Yamamoto wasn’t near her to aid her and the other team took great advantage at that. She had to jump out of reach when a strong spike was aimed at her, it made a loud slam-like noise as it hit the floor and it racked her nerves to hear that. 

Her teammates scolded her in annoyance for losing a point, but she was too busy staring at where the ball had hit in fear to care for a missing point.

The brutal spikes came coming at her no matter where she was, it was totally unfair and nerve-wracking. She did her best to try and return a few, but most of them hit her forearms and made the ball bounce out of the court. This was what everyone was waiting for, for her to make a fool out of herself and make her team lose. She could already hear the laughs and tauntings from the crowd, see the smirks from the other team as they made her the weak target. 

It started making something hot to burn inside of her. Coating her hands and wrapping around her in an almost protective embrace. It was taking her nerves away and instead, turning them into strength as her fear started swiping away. It felt good. 

She kept focusing on that feeling instead of everything around her, and let it pull her around to hit any easy throws coming her way. Her teammates noticed the sudden change because instead of chiding her, they seemed to be directing her for a better result. 

"Go, Sawada, it's yours!" Her team captain yelled at her when a spike flew towards her side. 

She looked at the ball with narrowed eyes and flexed her knees in waiting. Raising her arms up, she received the ball in her hands and tried to bounce it back, but the spike had a lot of power in it, so unable to hold it up, the ball slipped from her fingers and smacked her in the face, 

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto ran to her when she fell to the floor with a loud groan. 

"Damn, its dame-tsuna" One teammate cursed quietly to his friends, who were grimacing at the thought of losing the match. 

"Tsuna-chan" Kyoko looked at her friend with worry, bringing a hand to cover her mouth to prevent gasping out loud. Hana merely held her shoulders to ground her and offer her comfort, but she could feel the slightly trimmed nails digging her clothes in worry.

"Are you okay?" Yamamoto asked gently as soon as he knelt next to her but gasped when he saw a red liquid running down her nose. Tsuna didn’t give him a response, she simply stood up with her fringe shadowing her eyes and bringing one hand to clean the blood from her face. 

"You" Tsuna growled and raised her face to look at the opposite team with fierce determination "You are going down!"

"Tsuna, you're bleeding!" Yamamoto tried to calm her down, but the brunette wasn't listening.

"Give me the ball" She snatched the ball from a guy and sent it flying with a powerful smack towards the other team despite it not being her turn, but she soaked the feeling with great satisfaction as it hit the unsuspected boy - the one who had targeted her - hard enough on the chest that it send him to the floor with a groan of pain of his own. 

"Rule #1, you bastard, never mess with a lady's face!" Tsuna exclaimed hotly.

 _Lady?_ Everyone thought with a sweatdrop, seeing the scary look on her face marred with blood.

Her team seemed to take pity on her at that moment, because of course, you can’t have someone with blood all over them playing a match, not with the way a certain prefect was glaring at them, so the captain from her team called a time out and had someone look at the injury. There wasn’t a teacher or even the school nurse present, and Kyoya still was letting this match happen? Tsuna thought with a groan as Kyoko helped clean her face. As soon as the timeout had been called, she, her brother and Hana had rushed towards her side with worry.

Hana simply smacked her in the back of her head to make her lean forwards and Kyoko helped keep a tissue pressed there to stop the bleeding. Ryohei was loudly pointing at her knees to bend more and for her to tuck her elbows inwards, like a boxer, he told her continuously. 

Tsuna just kept nodding, if only to shake any remaining blood from her nose and to keep the pain away. As soon as the bleeding stopped, they made her wear a bandaid over her nose to keep pressure there in case it kept dripping. Tsuna didn’t want to play anymore, she thought that with this they would pull her out, but apparently not because as soon as she turned to face the court, the referee blew his whistle to gather both teams back to the courts. 

She sighed and started to walk forwards thanks to Ryohei’s encouraging paths and she gave a tiny smile to Yamamoto, who had been hovering close to her with worry in his eyes. 

“I’m alright” 

“Are you sure? This is dangerous, you shouldn't play like that” He told her with concern as they walked side by side back to their positions. 

“It’s fine, besides. They won't let me go now” She told him with resignment and he frowned deeply at that.

After that, the match continued without any issues. They had stopped targeting her directly, which she was grateful for. She did hit and returned the ball a couple of times, but did not score a single point through the game. But she didn’t care, so long as they didn’t intentionally hurt her, then she was going to try and have fun in the remaining time left. 

And besides, Reborn didn’t shoot her so it was a win for her. 

"Game set! Class A wins" The referee announced once the match was over with her team taking the victory by two points of difference. Everyone cheered for the results, except for the losers, they were moping. 

"We won!" Exclaimed Yamamoto and raised his hand for Tsuna to high five, which she did with a little laugh.

"We should play again" Tsuna smiled cheekily.

"No!" Both teams exclaimed and glared daggers at her, except for Yamamoto, who started being surrounded by some fans of his. 

"So mean…" Tsuna pouted but took the opportunity to walk away.

"Congratulations Tsuna-chan" Kyoko came to hug her.

"Thanks" She smiled at her friend but her shoulders tensed when she felt the same glare from before returning "Don’t wait for me, I'm going to change and probably hide for a while"

“Alright, just remember to have some dinner when you return home, okay? see you tomorrow, Tsuna-chan" Kyoko and Hana parted ways with her and Tsuna decided to walk outside and away from the crowds, knowing that she was being followed and didn’t want to attract more attention. Oddly enough, she would have stuck with Kyoko or even gone to pester Kyoya if she felt like someone was trying to stalk her or hurt her. But she couldn’t feel any ill intentions no matter how scary the glare at the back of her head felt. 

It’s like, even if it was scary, she knew there wasn’t a reason to be… It was so confusing and giving her a headache to untangle the mess that was her head at the moment. So she let it be and by the time she decided to ignore it, she had made it round the school building and towards the back. 

"So, what's the deal?" She asked and turned to see the new kid, Gokudera, who was standing a few meters away from her with his hands in his pockets, staring down at her. 

"I can't accept this" He glared at her "I'm the one who's worthy of becoming the 10th, not you"

"I can't accept that either" She told him with a serious expression and crossed her arms over her chest.

Okay, so he was Mafia and he was going to hurt her for having a title she didn’t want slapped on her forehead with neon signs. How did he even find her? Was this going to put her mother in danger, because if it was, she was considering hiding in the mountains for a while, with or without Reborn. Wait, this was his doing, wasn’t it? He was the one who called this guy to come. 

She frowned at that thought and looked around for a way out, she needed to think of a plan to get out before this escalated into a fight. 

"If a little girl like you becomes the 10th, the Vongola family is done for" Gokudera glared at her.

"And why does that concern you?" She didn't want to antagonise him, but she needed to buy some more time to think about how to escape. Her main plan was to scream loudly to grab enough attention from someone to aid her - Hibari Kyoya - but if she did, then someone else could come and get hurt because of her. 

At her comment though, the glare from the boy turned dark and he withdrew a bunch of dynamite from his pocket, making her eyes wide at the sight of them. 

"You are done for" 

"This was faster than I'd expected" A squeaky voice said, and both teens turned towards a tree wherefrom the trunk, a sliding door opened to reveal the baby hitman in his black suit.

"How in the world did you get in there?" Tsuna blinked at her 'tutor.'

"I have my ways," He said smugly and turned to nod at the silver-haired boy in greeting. "Gokudera Hayato"

"So this is your doing" Tsuna accused the hitman with a frown. 

"Yes, he’s someone I called over from Italy," Reborn said and jumped to land on the brunette head. "But this is the first time we met in person"

"So you're the hitman that the 9th has the most trust in, Reborn. I've heard rumours of you" Gokudera said while eyeing the baby warily.

"Rumors? Are you that popular?" Tsuna looked up at the baby as far as she could, for he was still on top of her head.

"Don't look down at you tutor, dame-tsuna" Reborn stomped her foot on her head, making her flinch back in pain at his action. 

"Stop hitting me and maybe I will" Tsuna demanded back. Okay, seemed like her plan to escape was now ruined thanks to the hitman. He wasn’t going to let her run, not after his ‘pep talk’ from before. 

"So if I get rid of this little girl, I'll become the 10th?" Gokudera said, making Tsuna blink in surprise at him.

"Yes" Reborn simply said. 

"Then why force me to train!?" Tsuna exclaimed. 

"You need to be prepared at any times," Reborn said "And if you don't want to die, I advise you to fight"

"What kind of advice is that?!" Tsuna gasped in disbelief.

"How annoying" Gokudera said and launched a lighted stick of dynamite at her. Tsuna widened her eyes and jumped aside to avoid being blown up while Reborn jumped to sit on a high branch to watch the fight better. The dynamite exploded on the ground, creating a loud boom and a cloud of dust to rise. Surely someone must have heard that, right? 

"He’s known as Smoking Bomb Hayato, for being able to master the explosives. In other words, he is a human bomb" 

"If you are not helping, then don't talk!" Tsuna glared at the hitman baby for putting her in this situation. 

"Brace yourself" Gokudera growled and in seconds, he was holding three lit dynamites. 

"H-How did they light up?!" Tsuna asked in shock, for she did not see him use a match or a lighter.

"I suggest you run" Reborn oh so generously advised her, but Tsuna didn't need to be told. With a squeak, she ran for her life around the schoolyard as Gokudera followed her throwing dynamites. Whatever good luck she pulled in the volleyball game still graced her, for she did a good job in avoiding the explosions at her feet.

However, her good fortune ran out when she met a dead end and was cornered. She turned back in panic to see Gokudera walking towards her. Looking around did nothing for she knew there was nowhere to run. Trying really hard not to enter in panic, she took a moment to calm her beating heart as the boy in front of her approached her. 

' _Cool head in dangerous situations, Tsuna_ ' She remembered someone telling her once. She really tried to clear her head, but all she could think was how to survive this mess without getting injured. She knew she didn’t have the strength or means to escape, not unless… Looking sideways, she spotted Reborn watching the spectacle with no intention of stepping in. Which might be her only way out. She needs that magic bullet.

As she was busy thinking, she wasn’t aware of how her body moved on its own accord and she could only blink in surprise when her hand reached forwards and instinctively grabbed the dynamite flying towards her face. Once she realized what had happened -but not how it happened-, her fingers were starting to burn which made her yelp and release the dynamite to the ground, where she proceeded to stomp on it until the fire was snuffed out.

"Ouch" She looked down at her burnt fingers in remorse, they were red and itchy and if she didn't put herself together then her whole body could end up like that. 

Shaking her hand, she looked up and was barely able to jump and dodge the incoming attacks. It seems like Gokudera took inspiration from the volleyball match because he kept targeting her with accuracy that her ankles were starting to feel the sparks from the explosions. He didn’t give her a moment to breathe and kept cornering her. 

If only she could approach him and maybe punch him in the face… Ryohei had taught her a few moves, but to do that, she needed to cross the fire and risk being blasted. It didn’t sound appealing at all. But the more she questioned and pondered, the more desperate she felt at not being able to outrun him and all he was doing was throwing dynamite sticks at her! 

Come one, come one, she needed an opening, she told her anxious mind, looking everywhere around her for that chance.

"This is the final blow" Gokudera said with narrowed eyes and threw at least a dozen of dynamites. Tsuna was going to jump and hide behind a tree but in that one second, she was able to hear chatter and giggling and soft steps approaching from behind her.

Her eyes widened in realization. This was what she was dreading, someone coming along and getting hurt. If she moved from her place, then the dynamites will surely hit the girls behind her. She wasn’t friends with anyone but Kyoko and Hana, and most of the girls at school either hated her or ignored her, but Tsuna wasn’t a bad person. She had a conscience and she liked to think that she has a good heart too. She couldn’t let innocent people get hurt because of her.

So she shut her eyes, braced her knees and grounded her feet to receive the impact. But the force that hit her forehead rattled her whole body in a scorching embrace. The impact sent her to the floor, and all her anxiety, regrets and fears were eaten away by fire licking in her veins. 

When she opened her eyes, she only had one thought in her head and it was that resolve that moved her body to get up and face the attack head-on without panic. 

"Reborn!" She exclaimed "Fast, gotta save, gotta put out!" 

Fast as lightning, Tsuna jumped around, pulling the dynamite from the air and stepping on them to turn off the fire. She wasn't aware that her favourite sneakers were getting scorched or that she was only wearing her black sports bra and blue shorts. Nor was she conscious of the orange flame crackling on her head. 

All she knew and needed to know was that she had to stop Gokudera from throwing any more dynamites. 

"Die flame, die!" She exclaimed as if she was possessed by a raging force. 

Tsuna was drunk in her power so she didn’t realize the shocked face of the boy when she turned herself on fire or that the people she was trying to protect weren’t there anymore. As she was busy stepping on the dynamite, Gokudera could only stare at the strange sight, but he knew what those flames meant and he knew what he needed to do to end this. 

"Triple bomb!" 

He grabbed a handful of dynamite and tried to attack with one of his most powerful moves so that he could reveal his power and prove himself, but in his rush, he wasn’t aware that three dynamite sticks slipped from his hold until it was too late. And as he looked down in panic and tried to kick them, the ones in his hands continued to slip to the ground at his feet. 

' _Is this the end of me?_ ' He thought with wide eyes as his body froze in the spot. He could have jumped out of the way but he would still receive the impact of the explosion. 

“Watch out!” The brunette was suddenly in front of him and pushed him to the ground before the first dynamite exploded. The impact and force from the explosions made them roll for a few meters until they were safely away from the ongoing blasts. The back of his shirt was slightly torched but other than that, he was able to note that neither of them was seriously injured. 

Tsuna groaned and untangled herself from him, blinking warily as she looked around and feeling a sudden tiredness in her body as the flame in her head extinguished. Gokudera could only stare in silent awe as her orange eyes faded to honey caramel as they turned to look at him.

"You okay?" She asked as she moved to kneel next to him, panting and raising her hands in case he tried to attack her.

"Y-You saved me" He looked at her in shock.

"Well… yeah?" Tsuna blinked with a speck of pink dust on her cheeks "I wasn't gonna let someone die just because they attacked me"

"I was mistaken" Tsuna jumped in surprise as Gokudera was suddenly bowing to her "You are the one fit to become the boss"

"Who said I was going to become the mafia boss?" Tsuna grouchily muttered as she stood up and looked at the yard with a grimace. There were burnt marks all over the floor, she was sure Kyoya will have an angry fit for that.

"Juudaime, I'll follow you until the end of times" Gokudera looked at her with a bright expression. 

"Juudaime?" Tsuna questioned with a tilted head. "But, didn't you want to be the 10th?"

"Actually, I never had the desire to become the 10th," He said with a bashful expression "I just wanted to see if the 10th had the strength to become a suitable boss. But you prove me wrong, you are much more than I'd ever expected! You even risked your life to save me, even though I was your enemy!" Gokudera looked at her with determination "Please, let me be part of your family"

"I don't need a subordinate if that's what you are implying" She said with a tiny frown but when the silver-haired boy deflated in disappointment she gave him a tiny smile "But how about a friend?"

It was like magic words had been uttered for Gokudera brightened up physically and looked at her with a new light. Still a bit wary of his abrupt change of mood, she offered him a hand to help him get up, but he was still gazing at with open admiration. Tsuna had no way of knowing that her pitiful attempt at a smile and offer had made the boy feel warm and accepted. 

Gokudera didn’t know what to expect when Reborn told him to come to Japan and test the future Vongola Decimo. When he arrived, he had sworn secrecy at the identity of the next boss before he could even meet them and he was shocked to discover a girl. Not because she was female, but because she was a civilian.

It reminded him of a certain moment in his past, when everything was grey and empty but a tiny light of hope was gifted to him without asking anything in return and kept him going through all these years. And now, looking at her and her tiny smile, he suddenly knew he had found his purpose. 

Tsuna raised an eyebrow when a spark of realization crossed his face, still waiting for him to grab her hand.

“What?” She asked, feeling a bit self-conscious. 

"You are the dandelion girl!” He suddenly exclaimed and held her hand in both of his from his kneeling place on the ground. "Juudaime, I finally found you"

"Dandelion?" Tsuna asked in confusion "And please, call me Tsuna” 

"Nonsense, Juudaime is Juudaime" Gokudera stood up and let go of her hand gently to bow respectfully at her. 

"It’s Tsuna or Sawada, if you prefer" Tsuna insisted but Gokudera wasn't listening. 

"Well, look what we have here" A voice said with a sneer "What a cute girl"

Tsuna and Gokudera turned to see three guys, third year's students, walking through the scorched yard and looking at the brunette with smirks. Couldn’t they have stepped in earlier? Tsuna thought with resentment, but it was then when she noted her lack of clothing, which made her blush and cross her arms around her chest in embarrassment.

"Oi, cutie, why don't you come with us?" One of them asked with a dirty smile but before Tsuna could speak, Gokudera stepped in front of her with a stick of lighted dynamite and glared at the trio.

"I'll take care of this" He said darkly and Tsuna let him do as he pleased.

A minute later, the trio was lying unconscious with Gokudera dusting his hands as if nothing bad had happened. Once he made sure they weren’t going to wake up, he removed his unbuttoned shirt and handed it to her while looking at the side as a sign of proper respect. 

"Juudaime, please take my shirt. You shouldn't expose yourself like that"

"Thank you" Tsuna accepted the offer and hurriedly put it on to cover her body "Somehow, I knew something like this was going to happen, so I brought some spare clothes. Could you walk me to my locker?"

"Y-Yes!" Gokudera responded eagerly, saluting her as if she had given a command. They will have to work on that, she thought as they walked together towards the locker area.

“What did you mean by dandelion girl?” She asked in curiosity. 

“Juudaime might not remember, it was a long time ago, but I believe I met you before in Italy. You gave me a dandelion as a gift” 

“I remember” She whispered softly "So you were that boy in the streets, no wonder you looked familiar" 

He did look familiar to her, but it was because she had seen his picture and last name on the Vongola allied family's list. Reborn doesn't know yet, but she was actually a good hacker, at least, that's what she thinks for she hasn't been caught. But with Gokudera mentioning that innocent moment, it made her remember the reason she was there and why she did it. 

"Why did you give me the little flower?" He asked quietly. 

"Because you were sad, and I thought you needed something to cheer you up" Tsuna told him with a smile "Did it work?"

"Yeah" He said with a little blush yet his face held confusion "But, Juudaime, what were you doing in Italy? If you don't mind me asking"

"Vacations" Tsuna said simply, making Gokudera know that it was all she was saying.

From his place on the tree, Reborn watched all the interaction with a satisfied smirk. He closed his notebook and looked at the departing figures of his student and the silver-haired boy. 

One down, 5 more to go.

Though he will have to talk with his student about this 'vacation' of hers.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Can I walk you home, Juudaime?" Gokudera asked once Tsuna was in her uniform. It was quite funny watching him guard the entrance with a blush while she changed, for the school was already empty, but Tsuna was still grateful for his intentions, she could see they were pure and not forced.

"Thanks, but Reborn has some plans for me" She told him with a smile as she grabbed a silver chain that she kept hidden inside her shoes at her locker and then closed the metal door. 

“But..” He frowned, divided by his self-proclaimed duties as her guard and protector and her words. 

“Hey, it’s alright” She smiled at him to ease his worry “Reborn is hiding around, so I’m not really alone” 

“Alright” It took him some seconds to accept but eventually Gokudera bowed one last time before finally turning to leave "I’ll see you tomorrow, Juudaime"

"Bye" She called after him, watching him leave and fumbling to clasp the chain around her neck. She had taken it off before the volleyball match in case it tore or choked her, but now, as much as she tried, she couldn't close it without flinching as her burned fingers ached whenever she put pressure on them. 

"Why won't you close?" She sighed in annoyance and was about to give up when a hand on her neck stopped her from moving and soon, cold fingers took the chain from her and locked it from behind her.

"I was given a report of 3 unconscious students in the backyard, with 60 dynamites lying on the floor, and a note of a brunette girl running around without a shirt, care to explain?" A monotone voice grunted from behind her.

"It must probably be a rumour" She muttered as she saw the little pendant of a star imbed with tiny crystals bounce down on her chest once the chain was properly fastened. As soon as it was secured, she turned and tried to walk away, but a startled cry of pain left her lips when the same cold fingers grabbed her wrist. 

"Your fingers are burned" Hibari narrowed his eyes at them, at her wrist and her arms. Stopping the murderous volleyball had left red marks all over her skin and strained her wrist for the unaccustomed use. 

"I'm fine" Tsuna took her hand to rub her sore wrist "It doesn't hurt"

"I didn't ask if it hurt" Hibari glared at her "You are going to tell me what happened, everything"

Suddenly, Tsuna felt so little and she couldn't do anything but to gulp. There were no lies between Kyoya and her, so eventually; she would have to tell him sooner or later. Only that she hoped for the latter.

"Remember that mess I was involved in?" She asked him, and when acknowledge flashed on his narrowed eyes, she sighed "Well it's bigger than you probably thought"

She was going to tell him, but he suddenly grabbed her least uninjured arm and started dragging her inside.

"Wait, where are we going?" She questioned him.

"To my office"

They arrived in less than a minute and he opened the door for her to enter. Murmuring something about this not being a good day, she walked inside and sat on the couch. Reborn must be somewhere out there, waiting for him if he hadn’t already found her. Can he spy through the walls? That could be dangerous. 

"Talk" Kyoya demanded with a glare "The truth, Tsunayuuki"

"I have a baby hitman training me to become a Mafia boss" She admitted with a blank face.

"Mafia?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes holding dark curiosity that made her regret ever bringing him along in her mess. 

"It sounds ridiculous, right?" Tsuna grimaced a smile "I still can't believe it either"

"Yet you are not surprised or scared" He told her while he looked for something in the desk drawers.

"Remember I spent two years in Italy?" She asked him, at which he nodded and took out a white box with a red cross in the middle. Tsuna took a big breath to calm her nerves. She hadn’t told him the whole story, not to him, her mother or anyone else. But after everything, Kyoya was the only one who she could actually trust with this. "Well… the story is like this"

And so, the brunette told him some of the adventures she had while living in Italy. Hibari listened intently to every word she said, frowning here and there and rolling his eyes at some memories, but he listened in silence while he treated Tsuna's burned fingers and rubbed some ointment to her bruised arms. The brunette was right when she said it sounded ridiculous, but he found no reason as to why she would lie.

"But I never expect to become the boss" Tsuna finished with a long sigh and flexed her wounded fingers, which were wrapped in band-aids. "Sorry for not telling you sooner, but I didn't want to get you more involved than you already are" She told him softly and looked up to see his reaction at her story, but she felt a shiver at what she saw.

"So the kitten has claws" He said smirking in satisfaction "It will be fun biting you to death"

"H-How did you call me!?" She exclaimed with a blush.

"I'm looking forward to it, little animal" Hibari looked at her with a glint in his eyes, making Tsuna gape in shock and embarrassment. So with a jump, she stood and left the room before something else could happen.

"Stupid Kyoya" She murmured with a red face.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Three days had passed when the Sawada residence gained a new tenant. Troubles and headaches in Tsuna's and Reborn's opinion, but Nana was extremely happy to have the five-year-old boy in the house. His name, Lambo Bovino. He was the son of the main boss of the Bovino Family, a small mafia family which was allied with Vongola.

He came barging into Tsuna's room when Reborn was teaching her some math formulas, claiming to be the strongest hitman whose life mission was to kill Reborn. The brunette didn't know if she should feel pity or not when Reborn ignored the boy, who was wearing a cow jumpsuit with matching horns and a tail, but when the hitman gave no reaction, the boy became angry and started throwing grenades everywhere in a tantrum.

Then Reborn kicked him out of the room and re-assumed his class as if nothing had happened. Sadly, the next day, Lambo went to Tsuna's school and created a big chaos. So after being bitten to death by Hibari and suffering Lambo's never-ending cries, Tsuna took him home, where Nana immediately agreed on letting him stay.

Tsuna was suspicious when Reborn didn't refuse the new accommodation. But her worries were replaced by shock when the little cow shot himself with a bazooka. She panicked for a second, but when she saw the 15-year-old version of Lambo, Tsuna almost fainted. Almost, if it weren't because he was still a crybaby. The function of the ten-year-later bazooka was a mystery that filled with dread whenever the boy used it, but other than that and the occasional fights with Reborn, Tsuna was kinda-not really-but trying to get used to her new lifestyle.

But today was one of those mornings when she didn't want to get up, having not slept at all and feeling her body heavy, she wanted nothing more than to stay in bed. But that only caused Reborn to force her to get up with his Spartan methods. And then Lambo came running, announcing he was going to eat her breakfast, which made her run down the stairs in attempts to stop him, but she tripped and fell. And Lambo still ate her breakfast.

She thought she was going to have a miserable day when Reborn almost made her go out for a run, but Gokudera arrived miraculously on time to walk her to school so seeing her opportunity, she quickly changed into her uniform in record time and went to meet the boy at the door.

"Good morning, Juudaime" The bomber greeted her cheerfully.

"Good morning…" She murmured with a yawn as she leaned down to put on her shoes. The soles were still a little burnt but they could last for a few months, no need to worry her mother. 

"Ara, a friend of yours, Tsuna-chan?" Nana said as she came to said goodbye to her daughter before she went to school and the smile on her face brightened when she saw Gokudera "And a cute one, how sweet"

"Mom!" Tsuna exclaimed in embarrassment.

"Cute?" Gokudera whispered with a red face.

"You should come over for dinner, dear. And maybe Tsuna-chan can also invite that handsome boy-

"We are leaving mom, goodbye!" Tsuna dragged Gokudera away before Nana could embarrass her more.

The two walked in silence. Gokudera was still trying to process the fact that 'his Juudaime's mother' called him cute, and Tsuna's mind was busy trying to recall the dream she had last night so not much talk was made between them.

It was something that was giving their class a gossip spree. Because of his antagonism towards her on his first day, to suddenly see them walk together, eat together and just stand next to each other the next day and the ones that followed were so strange and suspicious. 

The boys didn’t actually care because, despite Gokudera acting and looking like a delinquent, he was surprisingly smart. No one could keep up with him in class, and after some tried to approach him for help, they were immediately turned down so the guys didn’t try to befriend him if he wasn't going to help them pass. 

It was the girls that were the problem. Snide comments and mocking whispers started circulating around the school because Gokudera didn’t even spare a second to glance at them and only had eyes for Tsuna; Dame-Tsuna, the girls started a childish campaign to alienate the brunette even more than before. 

Tsuna didn’t actually care, she knew what was the truth and wasting time and brain cells over those girls was pointless when she had the Mafia looming on her shoulders. She did try to tell Gokudera that he didn’t have to walk her to school or eat lunch with her every day, but he was committed to his cause. 

And Kyoko didn’t actually mind his presence, in fact she always asked him about Italy’s latest fashion and pastries, it was kind of endearing how Gokudera tried his best to answer. 

Because of the quietness, Tsuna thought it was going to be an easy day and the sooner it was over, the sooner she could go to sleep. But when they arrived at their classroom, they both noticed that something wasn’t quite right with their classmate, Yamamoto.

Tsuna is not sure how it started, actually, no. She knew that after the volleyball match, Yamamoto suddenly tried to approach her and Gokudera. It was little things like chatting between classes or walking in and out of class. It wasn’t forceful, the boy always asked if he could hang around and she never refused, she didn’t have a reason to. 

Though she was fine by his presence, it was Gokudera who had trouble accepting him. The two of them were always bickering, well; it was mostly Gokudera yelling at him to get lost and Yamamoto laughing at everything he said. It was weird, but a good kind of weird and she found herself slowly starting to enjoy their company. 

But today was different.

Yamamoto was surrounded by his fangirls and some classmates, that wasn’t strange, but the main problem was that he was sporting a cast on his arm. And even though he was smiling and laughing in a carefree manner, Tsuna could see right through it. It was fake, so fake it almost hurt to watch.

There was more to it, but she wasn’t going to press him for answers, not when she had the eyes of the whole class and the teacher was just walking inside. Sighing, she went back to her seat and pondered on what to do. 

Hours went by, Math was horrible although she jumped from 15 to a 70 in her grades, but she was getting restless. There was just something in her, clawing and begging for something although she couldn’t understand what. For some moments she thought she was dreaming and it was only the loud noises from the class that brought her back to reality. 

It almost felt like her body wanted to shut down but her mind wanted to wander around. It was haunting. She knew she wasn’t going to focus on class or even last the next hour. So by the time the history teacher walked out of the class and Kyoko went over to Gokudera to ask him something new, she silently stood up and sneaked out.

When she was feeling like this, there was only one thing she could do.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Pain, that's the emotion that was consuming. 

It hurt to smile and to pretend, to fool everyone around him when in reality, he was the fool. It was so hard to keep up with everyone's expectations. It's been so long that even he didn't know who he was anymore.

He lost his confidence and his vision, he couldn’t see the light in his life. 

And now, he also lost the most important thing to him, his right arm. His game. His reason. 

He felt empty.

And he just couldn't stand it.

He couldn't stand the pain nor the fakeness of the world surrounding him. Taunting, moving on and forgetting about him. It was stupid to feel like this, he felt stupid. But he couldn’t help it, he didn’t know how to stop the hurting. He had fallen so deep in his misery that he didn’t know how to get out.

But there was a way to end it all, to end this fake act and to make the emptiness disappear. He wasn’t aware his feet had taken him to the rooftop, but he didn’t hesitate to open the door. Walking straight to the edge, he stopped just in front of the fence to stare at the world beyond it. As if mocking him, telling him how trapped he really was.

He clenched the railing with his uninjured hand in a tight grip. 

Just one step, and that pain, that emptiness, it would all be gone. With just one step, all of his problems would be gone. 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Yamamoto jumped in surprise when he heard a soft voice behind him.

"Tsuna?" He turned to see the girl with wide eyes, not expecting her presence. "How long have you been here?"

"Since the fourth period" She told him while she rubbed the sleep from one of her eyes. 

The brunette was sitting against a wall under the shadows, her presence barely noticeable and by the way her tired eyes were blinking up at him meant that she must have been sleeping. No wonder he didn't see her when he came in, too deep in his thoughts.

"You are always skipping classes" He told her with a forced laugh and at her frown, he turned to give his back to her. "Hey, Tsuna? Have you ever felt so small, like you don't have a place in this world?"

"Sometimes"

"Really?" Yamamoto asked in surprise but didn't turn to see her.

"Yes, really" Tsuna brought her knees to her chest and closed her eyes "This world we live in, it's hard trying to survive sometimes"

The wind blew softly around them, making some leaves fly around in the air without worrying for their destination. Neither of them said a word, they just let the silence loom over them. It made Yamamoto clench his hand over the railing and frown down. He had already made his mind, hadn't he? Why wasn't he getting rid of that pain, that emptiness? It could all be over soon if only he-

"You are an idiot" Tsuna whispered and it made his shoulders tense. She opened her eyes and looked at the hunched figure of the boy in front of her. She knew he was hurting and that she wasn’t the best or the right person to talk to him, but she could at least try. 

"Yamamoto, you broke your arm. So what? It's not like you are dying. It will heal in a month, maybe two, and then you will be back at playing baseball" 

"It's not that simple Tsuna" He shook his head in frustration "I have nothing. I'm not good at studies; people only look up at me because of my skills at sports, nothing else. And now that my arm is useless…”

“But it will heal” She insisted “And you can be good in other things” 

“But not to them” He forced a laugh out of his chest “You made me realize that” 

“W-What?” She asked in surprise, not expecting to be one of the causes for his depressive thinking. 

“You had a nosebleed and they were forcing you to play,” He told her “You didn’t want to play, but everyone forced you because they wanted to. I broke my arm, and all I’m hearing is what are they going to do now. That they lost the game and the nationals, and that the coach will only push them harder, just because of my arm!” The railing rattled loudly when his hand shook, showing how much it was affecting him “That’s what I’m worth to them, an arm” 

Tsuna could only remain sitting silently on the floor, just looking and listening to his deepest inner thoughts without moving. 

"Why should I live when I have nothing…?" He left his sentence wander-off and looked up with mournful eyes at the sky. "This emptiness, I want it gone" 

"Yamamoto, you don't need a new arm or to be better at something to get people to like you or to fill this emptiness you speak of, and I reassure you that jumping is not even an option" Tsuna stood up with a soundless sigh. 

True, could empathize with what the boy was feeling. She was not good at many things and people only used her for their own entertainment. But she had long since learned to ignore them and live for what was truly important to her. 

When she called out loud his intentions at the rooftop, he gasped out loud as if realizing for the first time the consequences of his actions. 

She took tentative steps towards him and bit her lip in concern, not knowing if what she said could make the situation worse. But she swallowed her worry, and remembered all the words her mother had said, all the encouraging from Kyoko and Hana… even Reborn’s pep talk. It was a big world, but that didn’t mean they had to live for every single person on them. 

“It’s your life. Don’t waste it doing what you’re told. Live for yourself, not them. Everything you need to accomplish your dreams is already in you. You just need to find it and never let it go. You have to believe in yourself, it doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as you do not stop” She told him softly “And, so what if you fall? That only means that you will stand up with the double of strength to never fall again.

Yamamoto felt his eyes tremble as every word latched over his wounded heart. He opened his mouth to say something but all that came was a silent gasp. Slowly, he turned around to see her standing a meter away from him. Her eyes held neither pity nor anger; instead, they were full of warm understanding that made his eyes water even more. 

"Give me your hand" She reached out to him with a smile "It will be alright"

He could already feel some tears rolling down his face, but neither he nor Tsuna moved from their places. She stayed there, patiently waiting for him to make the decision for himself. But he wanted to take her hand even before she offered it. So with a trembling breath, he reached out with his injured hand and held Tsuna’s gently. But in that one moment, the fence he had been gripping came loose after all the shaking he did with his hand. 

He didn’t let go in time, and his body stumbled back and stepped over the edge by the sudden lack of support. He could feel his body tumbling backwards by gravity, and he didn’t realize it until it was too late, but by the sudden force, he had pulled Tsuna down with him in the process.

"Oh god!" Tsuna exclaimed as they fell and gripped Yamamoto's arm tightly in fear.

For him, everything happened in slow motion. The ground was approaching and becoming clearer, the air still with leaves danced around them in a spiritless attempt at stopping them and as they fell, all he could hear was the beating of his heart crying in regret. 

He didn't want this, he realized it too late.

And now there was nothing he could do to stop it, and the worst part is that the person who opened his eyes was being dragged with him because of his foolish thoughts. He shut his eyes close, gripped the brunette against him and waited.

But when his body should have hit the ground and broke his bones, he felt nothing but a sudden warm gust of air and the velvety grass tickling his skin. There was no pain, even if he stayed there with his eyes close gripping the ground, his body couldn’t feel anything hurting. So tentatively, he opened his eyes to see the blue sky staring back at him. He turned his head to the left and saw Tsuna kneeling next to him with wide orange eyes staring ahead. 

"That…was close…" She shakingly breathed out in relief.

"What happened to your clothes?" Yamamoto could do nothing more but to blink at her. Was he dead?

"Forget about it! Lend me your jacket, people are going to stare" Tsuna exclaimed with a blush and started tugging at his shirt to come loose. 

He didn’t know how it happened, but there was a sudden oppression in his chest, and before he could stop it he broke into laughter. For the first time in months, he laughed from his heart.

"Don't laugh! This is embarrassing!" Tsuna exclaimed with reproach at her attempts to remove his shirt from his body still lying on the ground. 

"Juudaime!" A familiar shout exclaimed and soon Gokudera was quickly placing his shirt over her bare shoulders. "Here, cover yourself"

"T-Thanks" Tsuna murmured as she slipped on and buttoned the shirt that hid her small frame. 

"And what are you laughing at, you idiot!? You could have killed her!" Gokudera snapped at Yamamoto, who was looking sheepishly at the two with an ounce of guilt in his eyes.

"Maa, Maa~ Gokudera, nothing bad happened" He waved his hand as if he didn't just fall from a four-floor building. Of course, Gokudera thought differently and started yelling at him for being a reckless idiot, which made Yamamoto try and calm him down with random remarks that had no relevance. His body still trembled from time to time in shock, and maybe it was noticeable because Gokudera was abstaining himself from hitting him.

Tsuna could only sit there in silence and watch them banter. That was really close, she thought to herself with a grimace. If Reborn hadn’t acted when he did, she was sure things would have turned badly. 

And speaking of which-

She yelped when a hard force landed on top of her head and almost made her fall to the ground, if she hadn’t braced her hands down to stop it.

"A good mafia boss should know how to control her subordinates" Reborn told her and she bit back a squeak when she felt tiny scaly feet clawing their way towards her neck. She had come to know the hitman’s pet chameleon personally in the past few days. Leon was really sweet when the hitman wasn’t around, but when he did, he acted like a magical object of torture for her. Tsuna still flinched whenever he turned into a mallet. 

"Mafia? Is it a game you are playing and Tsuna is the boss?" Yamamoto asked and Tsuna immediately cursed in her head, because no. This shouldn’t happen. Not him. But as always, Reborn was interfering with her wishes and nodded at Yamamoto. 

"Great, can I play too?" He asked with a goofy smile, all fear and bad memories forgotten for a moment. 

"Of course," Reborn said calmly. “Welcome to the family” 

"Absolutely no, you freak!" Gokudera hotly refused, but Yamamoto took it as a challenge to change his mind and the two soon started bickering again. 

“You did well, Tsuna” The hitman told her, he probably heard her as well. 

She felt warm at his praise without having any pain involved from his part, but staring at the carefree laughing Yamamoto made that feeling turn sour. If he got involved with her, she was sure that smile will only dim and disappear. She didn’t want to be the cause of someone else's suffering, she couldn’t live with that regret. 

As if sensing her sad mood, Leon tried to cheer her up by smacking his tongue in her neck. She whined softly at feeling the slimy texture in her skin and she could only blame the hitman for the future mishaps and troubles that were sure to come. 

"Reborn, I swear, if you keep shooting me and making me wander around in my underwear, I'll kill you"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Later that day, Reborn was enjoying a warm cup of espresso while the brunette was taking her much needed nap in her bed. He took the time to stare at her sleeping figure in confusion and wonder. It was strange, there was something about the brunette that didn’t seem right to him. He has watched her for days and her actions remained real and truthful, but he still couldn’t help but feel that there was something wrong with the brunette. 

And it annoyed him because it’s been a week and he still couldn't figure it out. He loved a good challenge, and Tsuna certainly was one. And he was going to enjoy dissecting her the more his curiosity grew. 

Starting with her flames. 

She was a Sky, but there was a certain coldness in her despite her warm actions. He could feel the allure of them, with her being an unbonded sky, it was like her flames were calling the moths to feed on them. And it reflected because she was luring every possible guardian to her side without actually being aware of it. 

They were raw and potent, but it almost felt like it was holding something back. It might be because she’s barely tasting the surface of the real power and he wondered how her flames would be once they were unleashed and polished. 

They will have to step up their training for that to happen, but once it did, he was sure it would be something worth seeing. 

He sighed when his cup was finished and went to set it over the table. He debated between waking the brunette to make her do some workout and then her homework or let her sleep till dinner time. In the end, Leon decided for him because he had remained stuck to the brunette and he looked like he had no intentions of moving from his cosy spot. 

It was a hard day for her, he knew she didn’t sleep well and what happened with Yamamoto must have shocked her greatly. So out of the goodwill of his heart, he will let her sleep it off so that she could be bright and shine for tomorrow’s training schedule of doom.

He should advise some counselling to the boy though. He thought as he opened the notebook where he was recording everything about the girl, from her progress to her quirkiness. And there were a lot of those. 

It's been a week and he was pleased to note that the first part of his mission was almost complete. As he turned to the last page from his observations, he started at the names of the future guardian candidates that had unknowingly started courting her sky flame. 

_Storm, Rain and Lightning._

_Cloud and Sun too._

_It seems like she doesn't need to find them._

_Because they are the ones finding her._

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was tempted to write the part where Lambo was introduced, but in the end, decided not to. Besides, everyone knows what happens, right? I will stick that to canon, everything else will be different from now on.  
> Thanks for reading~


	3. Poisoned Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is the shortest chapter so far, but they will eventually become monsters in length. Trust me.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Waa! Baka-Tsuna, you look like a panda!" Lambo exclaimed as he looked at his 'big sister' with wide curious eyes.

Currently, the brunette was lying in her bed with an open book in her hands. She had dark circles under her eyes, which were fighting to stay open. Her face was pale and her hair was a mess. She didn’t had a good night, and as soon as the sun was up, the hitman had forced her to study all day long, she hadn’t even eaten dinner yet! So it was in all her good rights to growl darkly at the little kid who had come to bother her. 

"Do you know what a panda eats when it is annoyed?" Tsuna asked calmly to a now trembling Lambo, who shook his head in response, making her smirk. "Little kids"

"Gupyaaa!" He screamed and ran out of the room, leaving a chuckling Tsuna behind. It wasn't that she enjoyed tormenting little kids, but when she hasn't slept and eaten for hours, her black side liked to come out. It wasn't really her fault.

"Do you suffer insomnia?" A squeaky voice asked from above her. 

"Huh?" She blinked and looked up, where Reborn was hanging from the ceiling with Leon holding him up as a rope tied around his body. Seeing her confused stare, Reborn opened a little notebook and read a page.

"You woke up at least four times last night, without mentioning the previous nights as well" He told her.

"They were just some nightmares" Tsuna shrugged and turned a page from her book.

"Please, do tell" Reborn came down, still hanging from the rope, until he was facing Tsuna face-to-face, with his little fist under his chin.

"It's nothing serious" Tsuna pushed him softly with her finger, making him rock back and forth. "Anyway, I already learned chapter six and seven, can I go and have some dinner, please?"

"15 minutes, and then you'll answer a special quiz"

"That's good for me" Tsuna stood up and stretched until her joints popped. With a sigh, she walked towards the door but Reborn’s voice stopped her before she opened the door.

"Just one more question" The hitman jumped on her bed and stared at her "Do you suffer from chronic nightmares?"

"Why are you so interested in my sleeping habits?" Tsuna asked with a raised eyebrow and grabbing the door handle, wishing really hard that the hitman would let her go already. 

"I'm just a baby who is curious" Reborn said with an innocent smirk, a smirk that was whipped away from his face at the brunette's next words.

"Are you sure about that?" She whispered - all too quietly- before leaving the room.

Reborn stayed frozen in his place. Whether her words meant what he thought they meant or she was just being sarcastic, either way, the way her eyes glinted with dark amusement as she tilted her head to look behind her as she left made his gut be consumed by a feeling of dread. 

It couldn't be, right? There is no way she could know about it… 

His curse.

**.**

**.**

**.**

After Tsuna returned from dinner and answered Reborn's Master Quizzes, -yes he gave her more than one- the night came and went too fast for her to catch it. Once more, she was forced to wake up in the middle of the night by a fading dream that disappeared as soon as she came into awareness. 

Shaking her head to get rid of the remnants of it, Tsuna wrapped her bed covers around herself and curled down again to try and get some more sleep. She didn’t feel herself fall asleep, and for her, it almost seemed like mere seconds had gone by, for the next time she opened her eyes, there was sunlight sweeping through her window and lighting the room with morning light. 

Luckily, it was Sunday so she took her sweet time in getting up from the bed.

It was a glorious start. There were no cries or explosions, or green mallets hitting her head. Reborn didn’t force her out of her bed nor Lambo came barging in with childish demands. Even if she was doing nothing but laying in her bed with her eyes close, she felt her body and mind rest for the time taken. So by the time the clock marked 1 in the afternoon, Tsuna was up and in a good mood, and doing some errands for her mother. 

She was just going to the market to buy some groceries, now that there were two more people living in her house, the food portions had expanded and had to be replaced weekly. A part of her found it odd that Reborn hadn’t followed her to cause some chaos, but she still welcomed her alone time with open arms. Although knowing her luck, she was just waiting for something bad to ruin her good day.

"Ugg, why is it so hot today!?" Tsuna exclaimed as she glared at the sky.

It was still spring, so it shouldn’t even feel this hot when it wasn’t even noon, but walking with a bag full of groceries felt eternal. Just two more streets and she would be home, Tsuna mentally cheered and started humming a song to make time go faster. She was busy minding her own business, that she didn’t realize her body had moved in a startled jump out of the way as a bike stopped mere inches from where she previously was standing.

"Oh my, I almost ran you over!" Said the woman on the bike as she removed her helmet. Her long hair flowed in the wind, and a flirtatious smile appeared on her face as she tossed the brunette a can of soda, which Tsuna managed to catch with the hand that wasn't busy holding her groceries bag. "Here, take it as an apology token"

Tsuna only nodded in silence and watched her leave as quick as she came. Blinking into awareness, it wasn't until the brunette was sure that the mysterious woman was gone, that she heavily sighed.

"And to think that the first rule they teach in kindergarten is to never trust strangers" Tsuna opened the can and moved her wrist, making the can face downwards and the liquid to spill out to the floor. 

After it was empty, Tsuna continued her way back home, throwing the can into a recycle bin that was conveniently on the street corner and kept humming to herself to dismiss the strange encounter. If only she had turned back, she would have seen how the floor where the liquid had spilled released an unnatural purple smoke and a bird fell just by smelling it.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I'm home!" The brunette exclaimed as she closed the door of her house "And I brought food"

"Food!" Lambo came running towards her with his arms open wide, but Tsuna stopped him with her foot.

"Not for you" Tsuna pushed him gently with her foot and walked towards the kitchen, leaving a tearful Lambo behind, that is until he exploded.

"Mama! Baka-Tsuna is being mean to Lambo-sama again!"

"Ara, Tsu-chan, don't be mean to the poor boy" Nana told her daughter softly as she entered the kitchen and helped the brunette put away the groceries.

"I was just playing" Tsuna turned her head and smiled sweetly at the boy who was peeking his head through the kitchen door "Right, Lambo?"

Lambo only stuck his tongue at her and ran away, making Tsuna chuckle.

"Where is Reborn by the way?" Tsuna asked her mother.

"He went out shortly after you left" Nana said "Why don't you go out and look for him?"

"He is capable enough to find his way back home" She mumbled as she poured some juice in a glass for herself.

"Tsunayuuki, are you going to leave an innocent baby out in the streets without protection?" Nana scolded her lightly.

" _ Innocent baby? He is anything but innocent!"  _ Tsuna exclaimed in her mind and took a sip of her juice, and she almost choked when something suddenly landed on her head.

"It's fine, Sawada-mama, I found my way back safely," Reborn said from his place on top of the brunette's head.

"Welcome back Reborn-kun" Nana greeted the baby with a smile, but then frowned "Lunch will be ready in an hour, but I'm not sure if I will be able to make dinner in time. Mrs. Aizawa invited me over to have some tea"

"It's fine Mom, I will call for some pizza or some sushi" Tsuna put her empty vase in the sink and smiled "Just go and have some fun, I will take care of the kids"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Why won't you give me any candy?" Lambo asked with a pout.

"Because it's bad for your health"

Tsuna was lying on the living room floor, drawing in her sketchbook what seemed to be a dome of ice. Lambo, being the little kid that he was, had been demanding some candy for the past few hours, but the brunette refused to give him any. Reborn, on the other hand, was busy drinking a warm cup of espresso, nested comfortably on the brunettes back.

Nana had long left the house, and it was up to Tsuna to call for some food. But she had been drawing for the past two hour's non-stop with no intention of stopping anytime soon and Lambo was getting restless.

"But I'm hungry!" He whined and stomped with his little foot on the floor in front of Tsuna, trying to grab her attention.

"Then eat an apple," She blew over the paper to get rid of residue particles after having erased a few lines. Once she was sure it was clean, she continued drawing. 

"But I don't like apples!" Lambo exclaimed once more but was ignored. Gritting his teeth, he searched in his afro for some grenades to throw at the brunette, but he was momentarily stopped at the sound of some knocking. Blinking in confusion, he turned towards the door of the house and then back at the unmoving brunette -and hitman- and then back at the door when another knock sounded. 

"Vongola Pizza!" A muffled voice said from behind the door.

"Not hungry, thank you!" Tsuna replied back before blowing softly on the paper once more.

"Pizza" Lambo's mouth watered and walked towards the door with shiny eyes.

"Lambo, don't open the door" Tsuna told him without looking at him, her gentle voice hiding away any threats if he went against her order. Lambo stopped and looked at the brunette with a bit of fear, but seeing as she was busy with her sketch, he grinned to himself and went to open the door.

Only to be thrown back by a box which contents spilt all over him. Lambo blinked when he saw purple smoke coming out from him, but once it started aching, he started screaming and running around in circles, trying to get that substance off him.

"Good grief, what's with all the noise?" Tsuna stood up, action that made Reborn jump from her back but was suddenly scooped into her arms as she walked towards the commotion. Reborn eyed the brunette weirdly, for it wasn't like her to pick him and carry him like that, not like he was complaining though, it was a free ride. 

Once they arrived, Lambo was unconscious on the floor with purple foam coming out of his mouth. Tsuna poked the child with her foot, but he didn't stir. Oddly enough, she didn’t panic. It was an alarming sight, sure. But something inside of her kept her calm even when a stranger had just barged into her house and attacked a little kid. 

"Ciaossu Bianchi" Greeted Reborn and Tsuna looked at the front door where a gasp was heard. 

"Reborn!" The same woman with the long dark rose hair who had offered her a can of soda smiled at the baby in happiness "It's been so long, I've come to take you away from this child who dares keep you away"

"Who are you calling a child?" Tsuna asked, offended at being dismissed like a kid but was ignored.

"No, can't do" Reborn patted Tsuna's arm "I have the job of taking care of this brat"

"My poor Reborn!" The woman, Bianchi, exclaimed dramatically "If this brat doesn't die, then he will be trapped here forever"

"I'm still here, you know!?"

"You want to have Reborn all for yourself, don't you?" She glared at Tsuna with hate-filled eyes "Well that's not happening! Not with me around!"

"Like if I want this devil-like-baby at my house," Tsuna said with a deadpan expression "Who are you, anyway?"

"She's a freelance hitwoman called the Poison Scorpion, Bianchi," Reborn said from his place in her arms "And she is my fourth lover"

"Lover?" Tsuna looked down at him with wide incredulous eyes.

"Jealous?" Reborn smirked up at her but grunted when Tsuna released him, luckily his skills allowed him to fall on his feet with grace. 

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm already taken" Tsuna told him with a shake of her head and went to pick Lambo, who was mumbling about evil pizzas and went to lie him down on the couch. 

It was Reborn's turn to look at her with wide eyes full of scepticism because in all his time knowing her, she hasn’t shown an ounce of romance or even the signs of a teenager harbouring a crush. Bianchi, on the other hand, gasped in delight at hearing the news.

"Oh, then we are going to get along quite well! Tell me, do you know how to cook?" Bianchi led Tsuna into the kitchen once the little kid was secured on the couch.

"Just sweets" Murmured the brunette with a sweatdrop at the abrupt change of mood. 

"Unacceptable" Bianchi frowned at her "Tsuna dear, the key to reach a man is through his stomach"

"So you just poison them?" Tsuna looked back at Lambo, who was still knocked out.

"Exactly" Bianchi exclaimed proudly.

"Teach me!" Tsuna clasped Bianchi's hands into hers, and the hitwoman couldn't be more delighted into having an apprentice in the cooking arts of poisoning. Reborn for his part, sighed heavily, having his plans ruined by the unexpected friendship between them and made his way towards the kitchen to see what they were up to. 

"Let's see, what shall we make?" Bianchi was looking at the cabinets in search for food, and after some consideration, she pulled out a box of pasta "I can teach you how to make spaghetti a la Vongola"

"Sounds good, I think" Tsuna could only imagine purple spaghetti with some clams on it, because if she had searched it correctly, Vongola in Italian meant clams. A pretty weird name for a Mafia organization, but who was she to judge? "Let me boil the water"

But just as her fingers touched the knob of the stove, the door of the house was banged open. 

" **Sawada Tsunayuuki, are you trying to cook in my kitchen?"** Nana's sweet coated voice spoke through the house, at which Tsuna shuddered and jumped to sit on a chair on the table. 

"No, I'm not. I'm just sitting quietly while watching a friend cook some spaghetti" Was the immediate response of the brunette.

"Good, you know the rules, my dear" Nana said, and you could almost imagine the smile on her face "I'm going to take Lambo to the shower, he appears to have spilt some food on his clothes"

"Yes, mom" Tsuna called back and released a sigh when her mother's footsteps disappeared upstairs.

"What was that about?" Bianchi asked with a raised eyebrow.  Tsuna looked at her, and in a second, she was hugging Bianchi. 

"I can't cook even to save my life. Every time I try to, the food just bursts into flames!" Tsuna cried "The only things I can do are dango, cakes and salty onigiris"

"I share your pain, little sister" Bianchi hugged the brunette tightly in return.

"So Bianchi poisons food and Tsuna burns it" Reborn sighed with amusement "What a duo"

.

.

.

Dinner time passed without any problems, and after Nana offered Bianchi a place to stay in the house, the Sawada residence gained another member, not that Tsuna minded. She liked Bianchi’s presence and she could learn a lot from the hitwoman. Lambo, on the other hand, was a bit traumatized by the purple food that he didn't even ask for a second plate, eying Bianchi as if she would steal his dinner when he wasn’t looking. 

And so the night fell.

This time, the hitman was aware of the state of mind of the brunette as she tossed and turned in her bed with a frown on her face. Another night, another nightmare. She has never screamed or cried after waking up, but whatever it was that she was seeing was bad and not healthy for her young mind. Jumping down from his hammock, Reborn landed on her bed and approached her quietly.

"Dame-Tsuna, wake up" Reborn poked the girl in the shoulder but receive no response "Well, I tried"

He shrugged and grabbed Leon gently, who blinked drowsily at his owner before looking down at the brunette. He jumped and landed on her face, and at the sudden impact, slimy body and tiny claws in her skin made the brunette wake up in surprise and distress. 

“Waa!” She exclaimed and tried to bat away the creature on her face, her heart beating like crazy for the sudden awakening that was forced upon her. 

"Don't scream, you will wake up your mother" Reborn said, grabbing Leon from the air as he was thrown away by the brunette’s frantic movements. Tsuna breathed out and looked at Rebron with wide eyes filled with surprise and annoyance. 

"Reborn, what the hell? You almost scared me to death!"

"You were tossing in your sleep" Reborn said innocently at her as if to justify his action and eyed the girl who was rubbing her eyes and trying to calm her breathing "Another nightmare, huh?"

"Just let it go" Tsuna lied down and closed her eyes "Must be the pressure of the mafia behind me"

"Hmm…" Reborn thought about it, before letting it go. For now, at least. He wouldn’t gain any information when the brunette’s mind was still hazy with sleep. "Well then"

"W-Wait" Tsuna's trembling voice stopped him before he could return to his hammock "Can I ask you something?"

"I'm not a teddy bear" Reborn stared at her with an unamused expression.

"I was going to ask if you had some sleeping pills, but now that you mention it…" Tsuna looked at him with big eyes "Can Leon turn into a teddy bear for me?"

"He is my pet, don't bring him into your girly schemes" Reborn brought Leon closer to him.

"So mean" Tsuna pouted and closed her eyes again, that's it until her bedroom's door was opened. "Lambo?" She sat up and looked at the little kid who was poking his head through the door. When he met Tsuna's eyes, she noted how red and puffy they were and instantly, forgetting about whatever it was that haunted her that night, she got up and walked towards him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She knelt in front of him, but Lambo only gazed at the floor, even when his body started shivering, he didn't meet Tsuna's eyes. "Do you want to sleep with me?"

The only response was a nod, and Tsuna carried him gently to her bed. Reborn had escaped to his hammock and was already sleeping deeply by the time Tsuna and Lambo went to bed. Tsuna's arms were lazily thrown around the kid, who stopped shivering when he felt the warmth from the brunette.

Neither said a word and after minutes, Tsuna was already dozing off when she felt Lambo poking her cheek.

"Baka-Tsuna" He called in a quiet voice.

"Hmm?"

"Can Lambo-sama stay here forever?" Lambo asked with a small sniffle. Even with her mind feeling a bit sluggish, Tsuna was able to connect some dots regarding the question and sighed. It had something to do with his family and home situation, she concluded. Guess she will have to make a call tomorrow and give some threats for information. But for now, she will sleep.

"You don't have to ask Lambo," Tsuna closed her eyes and nuzzled her nose into her pillow. "My home is starting to become more like a hotel, so you are welcomed anytime…"

Lambo calmed down after hearing her soft voice and fell asleep in seconds. Tsuna sighed and it only took a minute before sleep finally claimed her back. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Are you alright, Juudaime? You look pale" Gokudera looked at his 'boss' with worried eyes as they walked to school together. And who wouldn't, Tsuna's face was as white as snow and it didn't help the fact that there were purplish bags under her eyes. 

"I'm alright, I just haven't been sleeping well, that's all" Tsuna yawned heavily.

When morning came, Reborn was humble enough to let the brunette have some breakfast, and when she was ready to go, Gokudera and Yamamoto were outside waiting for her. It was weird, she still wasn’t used to someone waiting for her to get ready and then walk together. She sometimes met Kyoko on the streets when their times coincided, but being rushed by Rebron and finding two guys waiting for her outside of her house was so out of the norm for her. 

"Maa, Maa, Tsuna, that is not healthy" Yamamoto placed his good arm around her shoulders. It wouldn’t be long before the cast finally came out, or so he had said. 

"Don't touch Juudaime so easily baseball idiot!" Gokudera glared at him, angry and annoyed that the boy had tagged along. 

"But Tsuna doesn't mind" Yamamoto smiled sheepishly, and didn't remove his arm from the brunette to prove the point.

"That's because she is half asleep" Gokudera snapped at him, which made Yamamoto laugh but still kept holding the girl, which made the Italian bomber keep shouting at him to let her go. 

They were already by the school grounds, Tsuna was more like a zombie at that point and would have fallen to the floor if Yamamoto wasn't holding her. So it was a good thing he hadn’t let go, for all she wanted to do was crumble down and sleep. Maybe she could sneak out in History class to sleep on the rooftop, yeah, that was a beautiful idea.

"SAWADA!" A loud voice shouted in front of her, making her jump in surprise and bat her arms around her.

"I'm awake!" Tsuna exclaimed with wide-open eyes.

"EXTREME GOOD MORNING!"

"SHUT UP!" Gokudera glared at the source of the noise, pushing him away from the startled girl who was trying to calm her wild heart. 

"Good morning, senpai" Yamamoto waved at the guy in front of them in good spirits.

"Onii-san, don't be too loud" Kyoko came running to his side and was about to smile at her best friend when the appearance of the brunette put a tiny frown on her face. "Tsuna-chan, are you okay? You look sick"

"I'm sleepy…" Tsuna muttered, her eyes blinking fast to try and stay open. 

"That is NOT healthy!" Ryohei exclaimed with crossed arms. "You should get enough sleep so that you can fight to the EXTREME the next day!"

"Stop shouting in front of Juudaime, you stupid lawn-head!" Gokudera stepped in front of the brunette and glared at Ryohei.

"How did you call me?! Octopus-head" Ryohei glared back at him.

"Octopus-head?!" Gokudera exclaimed in aghast and took out some of his dynamites, ready to explode this loud guy who was doing nothing but scare his Juudaime with his rowdiness. 

"Maa, Maa. We are going to be late, come on" Yamamoto laughed, not caring when the glare of the Italian bomber turned towards him.

"Shut up!"

"Let's go to class, ne Tsuna-chan?" Kyoko pulled the brunette's arm gently. 

"Yeah…" Tsuna nodded sleepily and let herself be dragged by Kyoko, leaving the arguing boys behind and being unaware of a pair of cold eyes watching the scene unfold. But Reborn didn't miss it from his place in the tree. He lowered his binoculars and opened his notebook with satisfaction. 

"Hibari Kyoya, the strongest and scariest man in school" He nodded to himself as he read the information on the page and smirked "He would be a great addition to the family"

**.**

**.**

**.**

True to her word, Tsuna skipped third and fourth period to take a nap and by the time it was lunch, Gokudera and Yamamoto found the brunette on the rooftop.

"Maybe you should go to the nurse office, Juudaime" Gokudera told her softly, worried about her state and health. 

"I'm fine" Tsuna yawned as she stretched her arms "I just need to recover some sleep"

"Aren't you going to eat something?” Yamamoto asked, noting that the brunette didn't have a bento with her. Tsuna blinked and looked around her, and just when she was about to voice her missing lunch, the door to the roof was thrown open.

"Tsuna-darling, you forgot your lunch!"

"S-Sis" Gokudera instantly gagged and turned blue, falling to the floor in what appeared to be a frozen state. 

"Hayato!" Bianchi smiled warmly when she spotted the silver-head, not really caring that he was fainting in front of her on the ground. 

"Gokudera-kun, are you okay?" Tsuna shook his shoulder when he didn’t utter a word, but then she gasped when his last words spoken were registered in her head. "Wait, sis? Bianchi's Gokudera sister?"

"Ara, I guess I forget to mention it" Bianchi wave it off with a smile and offered the brunette a pink bento "Here Tsuna, Mama send it"

"Thank you" Tsuna grabbed it, eying it a bit warily in case it was poisoned but as long as Bianchi wasn’t touching the food directly, then it seemed edible.

"I'll see you at home" Bianchi waved at her, and then smiled at her brother one last time "So cute, he is so overwhelmed to see me, he can't even speak"

"I don't think it's because of it" Tsuna murmured with a sweatdrop but waved back at Bianchi until she disappeared.

"You know, Gokudera's sister is kind of pretty" Yamamoto suddenly said out of nowhere, winning an incredulous look from Tsuna and a groan from Gokudera who was starting to wake up from his frozen state. 

"What happened?" He asked as he sat back up. 

"You passed out when you saw your sister" Yamamoto laughed with ease "You must have really missed her"

"Shut up! It's not like that!" Gokudera shouted and crossed his arms "It's her cooking"

"You ate her poisoned cooking?!" Tsuna exclaimed in shock as she opened her bento and grabbed an onigiri neatly placed there. 

Gokudera sighed and proceeded on telling them part of his childhood, how he had accidentally eaten some poisoned cookies before a piano recital but instead of suffering food poisoning, he actually did better than expected so his father demanded him to keep eating them every time he played the piano. He was immune to the poison, they had found out but the physiological aspect of it made him freeze or pass out whenever he saw Bianchi as a trigger to those times. 

Just thinking about it made Gokudera shiver and he was appealed that she was now living with his Juudaime, but Tsuna quickly assured him that other than Lambo, no one had suffered from her poisoned cooking. Yamamoto also made a disgusted face, for he couldn't imagine being forced to eat something rotten over and over. His father would immediately throw a fish that smelt funny, even if they bought it the previous day. 

"Poisoned cookies…" Tsuna looked at the bomber in pity as she took a bite of her food. "No wonder you-

She couldn't finish her sentence. The half-eaten onigiri fell from her hand the moment her eyes rolled back, and her mind shut off as her body fell into an unconscious state. 

"Juudaime!" Gokudera quickly grabbed her before she hit the floor and searched for any signs of injury but found none. 

"She's fine" A squeaky voice said from the above, making them look up to see Reborn. 

"Ah, it's the kid" Yamamoto pointed.

"I placed a sleeping pill on her food" Reborn explained to them to ease their worries, before hoping down into Yamamoto's shoulder "Be good guardians, and take your boss to a better place where she can rest"

"Yes sir" Gokudera gathered her in his arms and stood up, careful not to disturb her and started to walk back inside, being followed by Yamamoto who had taken her unfinished bento with him. 

"Where to?" He asked once they entered the hallway. Gokudera looked around, he didn't know any other safe place but the nurse's office but he didn’t want to leave his boss in a place like that where anyone could come in. 

"I know a place, just keep walking and turn to the right, it's the third door" Reborn told them and he nodded, finding no reason to suspect the hitman. 

"Alright, let's go" Yamamoto started leading them and soon they found themselves in an immaculate office. While Gokudera entered to place Tsuna on the red couch inside, Yamamoto made a pause as he looked around, finding the room a little bit familiar even if he hasn’t been in there in all his time at Namimori school. 

“I’ve never been in this room?” He said as he walked towards to look through the windows, noting how it gave the perfect view of the school’s front yard and entrance. 

"No one uses this room, so I'm planning on making it the family's secret headquarters" Reborn told him before jumping from his shoulder to land on the couch where the sleeping girl was now resting. 

"A secret place? That sounds like fun" Yamamoto laughed making Gokudera roll his eyes at his cheery attitude. But just as he was about to call him off, the door of the office was opened, and a group of six people wearing black uniforms walked inside.

"You, what are you doing here?" One of them glared at them.

"What about it?" Gokudera raised an eyebrow, clearly unaffected by their glares.

"Don't act so cocky. This room belongs to the disciplinary committee" Another guy growled at him, but any threats coming from them were ignored. The name rang a familiar alarm on Yamamoto’s head, connecting the dots of who this office truly belonged but before he could voice his reasonings, one of the committee members walked towards the couch.

"What's this chick doing here?" He asked while eying the brunette's unconscious figure. 

"Back off" Gokudera stepped in front of him, blocking his view from the brunette and pushing him away. "I don't care who you are, but you're gonna bite the dust"

"Why you-"

"Just turn around and get out of here"

"Bastard!" The guy brought his fist up but before he could land a hit, Gokudera grabbed it and twisted it, making him cry in pain. Then, with a kick, he was sent to the floor. The others glared at Gokudera and ran towards him, planning on taking him down. Of course, Gokudera dodged every attempt and punched some of the guys on the face.

Yamamoto let out a whistle when Gokudera knocked out one of the guys, but a war cry in front of him made him sigh.

"It can't be helped" He sidestepped, avoiding a fist from hitting his face. He grabbed the arm of the person attacking him and in a swift movement, he knocked the guy down without putting much pressure on his injured arm and looked up just in time to see Gokudera kicking another guy unconscious.

Reborn was busy making some coffee while the kids were occupied. He was disgruntled that there was actually no coffee beans in the office, just tea. So he had to take his own coffee canister that he always carried with him to brew some. He only turned to see the two future guardians when there were no more fighting sounds. That was good, they were quick to dispose of any threat. During the racket, neither of them noticed how Tsuna's fingers twitched nor how her brows furrowed in slight discomfort. 

"I see you finished" He told them "I just made some coffee, want some?"

"Thank you" Yamamoto grabbed two cups, even though he wasn’t a fan of bitter beverages he wanted to try it. He took a small sip of one and handed the other one to Gokudera. 

"I could have handled things by myself" Gokudera accepted the cup with a glare.

"A little help couldn’t hurt" He smiled at him, not minding that the Italian ignored him.

"What are you two herbivores doing out of class?"

A sudden cold voice grabbed their attention, and they all turned towards the door of the office to see a raven-haired boy standing still, watching the guys on the floor with steel indifferent eyes. Reborn only hid his smirk behind his coffee cup and observed the further interaction. 

"Such useless guard dogs" He sighed as he kicked one of them. 

"Who's that?" Gokudera sipped his coffee.

"That's...our school prefect" Yamamoto set his cup down to rub the back of his neck, praying that he wasn’t in a bad mood and wouldn’t bite them to death for breaking the rules. 

“You shouldn't be drinking coffee in school hours or trespassing” Hibari narrowed his eyes and when neither of them moved or said anything, he glared in impatience. “Well?” 

"We are here for famiglia business” Gokudera stepped forwards, ignoring Yamamoto's call to stop him.

"Famiglia?" Hibari raised an eyebrow. "What kind of crowding is that?"

"Crowding?" Gokudera hissed "Whatever. Listen, just go back and-

"Gokudera" Yamamoto warned him and pulled him back, just in time as a strong force managed to break the cup of coffee that he was holding and the shattered pieces fell to the ground. Luckily, he had finished his coffee, so no hot liquid burned his flesh. 

"I really hate weak herbivores that crowds" Hibari glared at him and raised one of his tonfas "Whenever I see them, I want to bite them to death"

"What's with this guy?" Gokudera scowled and took out some dynamites, ready to fight him.

Both of them were ready to attack, weapons out and all but they all halted their movements when a violent mane of brown hair appeared out of nowhere over the couch accompanied with a soundless gasp. For a moment, time had stopped and everyone turned over to see the brunette sitting on the couch, staring ahead with a faraway expression and silent tears rolling down her cheeks. 

"Tsuna?" Yamamoto called her in shock at seeing her tearful state, even Reborn was caught off guard for despite being the nearest to her, he didn’t feel her wake up from a bad dream. The baseball ace made a movement to touch the brunette but stopped when she flinched back and started blinking into awareness. 

"Juudaime" Gokudera knelt slowly in front of her and tried to peer into her eyes without touching or startling her. "It's okay, it's okay. We won't hurt you" He told her softly "We won't hurt you"

The brunette turned her gaze to him and it took her a minute before she exhaled deeply and seemed to calm down from whatever it was that was upsetting her. 

"Are you alright?" He asked in a gentle voice.

"What's with the tears dame-tsuna?" Reborn asked her, hoping down from where he was to stand next to the brunette.

"I..." Tsuna shook her head, making the tears in her face fall and hit her hands with a cold tiny splash. 

"Out"

Gokudera and Yamamoto looked at the prefect who had commanded them with incredulous expressions. Neither of them moved, making the perfect glare at them and taking both of his tonfas out. In a violent swift movement, he had thrown them out of the room and closed the door in their faces despite Gokduera threatening to just blow up the door. 

"You too" He glared at the baby hitman, who looked back at him in defiance. He was curious about what was going to happen, how the savage boy would act. It’s not like he didn’t care for his student who just woke up screaming in silent terror. But if he was being honest, he really didn't know how to handle a situation like that, so with a small frown, he jumped towards the windows to stay not too far, just in case something else happened to the brunette.

After everyone was out of the room - the unconscious patrol group not counting - Hibari walked towards the girl and knelt in front of her with a frown.

"I thought I told you I hate herbivores who cry," He told her coldly, but he received no response, not even a sniff or sob, which made him sigh. "What did you see?"

Tsuna was quiet for a few minutes, her body trembling while her mind put itself back together with some rebel tears that seemed never stopping. After what felt like forever, she gasped for breath as if she was waking up for the first time and blinked until her eyes were clear from tears.

"It felt so... real..." Tsuna shuddered "The smell of blood, the screams, the coldness of the place... it was horrible..." She wrapped her arms around herself as she released a small sob "Everywhere I looked, there were dead people and red...there was so much red..."

Her voice broke at the end and her body shivered when a hand cupped her face in a strange gentle gesture.

"Why are you dreaming with gore?" Hibari asked quietly, but Tsuna only shook her head and tried to bat his hands away from her face, action that only made him tighten his grip and move her face so that she was staring at his cold grey eyes. "Little animal, focus. I won't tolerate any herbivorous behaviour in my presence" 

"S-Sorry" Tsuna managed to say. She closed her eyes and took deep breaths until her body stopped shivering.

"Tsuna" She opened her eyes at hearing her name being spoken like that. More often than not, whenever Kyoya called her it was using her full name or the pitiful usage of little animal. So for him to call her name like that made her look at him with open eyes filled in wonder. "Is just a dream"

"Yeah..." She sighed and removed his hand from her face gently "Just a dream"

She rubbed her eyes to wipe away any tear remains and went to lay back down on the couch, all energy seeming to leave her after that chaotic waking. She didn’t want to go back to sleep in fear of seeing that image again, but the more she thought about it, the more it started to fade from her mind until nothing remained but a darkness that pulled her down to its sweet embrace. She didn’t feel her eyes closing or her consciousness dissolving, there was nothing but a whisper at the back of her head. 

Seeing as she went back to sleep, Hibari stood with a sigh.

"She went to sleep again" A squeaky voice said from the window and the prefect narrowed his eyes at the small figure wearing a fedora. 

"So you are the baby" Hibari took out his tonfa and smirked at Reborn "Fight me"

"What is your relationship with my student?" Asked Reborn with a frown and held Leon up as a gun.

"She is a little animal" Hibari looked at Tsuna, and then back at Reborn with a dark glint in his eyes "I'm simply guiding her into the carnivorous path"

"That's why I'm here for"

The threat came out before he realized it, but still, Reborn stood his ground when a tonfa came flying towards him. With a simple dodge, the weapon went out of the window and he was so tempted to shoot the guy, but he stopped himself.

"Hmm…" Hibari hummed in amusement before leaving the room, kicking the unconscious bodies of everyone that was still on the floor on his way out, and pushing past Gokudera and Yamamoto who were impatiently waiting outside.

"How did you manage to wrap a fearsome guy like him under your finger, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn wondered as he went to hop down next to his student. "This is getting more and more curious"

The hitman huffed at the sight of tear lines staining her face like a mocking watercolour painting.

"I hate it"

**.**

**.**

**.**

The dim light coming through her bedroom window was the first thing she saw when she woke up once again. Gone was the throbbing in her head and the sense of dread sinking in her chest, she felt calm and well rested, as if her mind had been whipped from any thoughts and troubles. Blinking tiredly, she stretched like a cat and concluded that she was back to her beloved bed. 

"Finally, you slept like a rock" Reborn said once he saw the brunette wake up, raising an eyebrow in amusement at the feline-like movements. 

"How did I get here?" Tsuna didn't bother to move, she just blinked tiredly at Reborn.

"Gokudera carried you home when you fell asleep in the committee office" Reborn eyed the brunette with caution. "By your eyes, I assume there were no nightmares this time"

"No, but I had a weird dream" Tsuna yawned "I was running in this hallway full of mirrors and at the end… there was a table with this… beautiful golden hourglass. But the strangest thing was that, the sand… it was falling upwards? I don’t know..." She turned her head on her pillow, noticing that it was close to nighttime and wondered if perhaps she would stay awake until dawn for sleeping most of the day. "Anyway, what did I miss?”

"Tomorrow after school you will have a friendly spar with Sasagawa Ryohei" Reborn informed her casually.

"Onii-san? But he does boxing!"Tsuna exclaimed as she sat on her bed.

"So?" Reborn raised an eyebrow.

"So?" Tsuna glared at him indignantly "I'll have to take out my shirt! Why is it with you making me show my body!?"

“It’s mental endurance” 

“That’s a lie!” 

Reborn only snorted at his students' ramblings about how she always ended up showing her body and that he must be a pervert for making her do so. It wasn’t really his fault that the dying will bullet ruined her clothes, it was just an unfortunate reaction that should stop soon. If training kept going well and Tsuna got used to the sky flames, they could move to train into Hyper Dying Will Mode. 

It will be arduous and they will practically go in blindly, but for that to happen, Tsuna needs to train her mind and body to help her sustain the next level for her flames when she has barely tasted the shallow waters. 

But first, he will have to do something with her sleeping patterns and her nightmares. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Cat out of the bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I lied. This is the shortest chapter so far, but they will double in length soon. So be prepared!

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Ugg"

A loud groan echoed in the entire restaurant. Luckily, there were no customers to complain, and her friends didn't seem affected by it either so Tsuna didn’t care to let her pain known. 

"Cheer up, Tsuna. It wasn't that bad" Yamamoto patted the brunette in the head gently.

"I can't feel my body" Tsuna murmured. She was half lying against the table, with her arms stretched lazily over it and resting her forehead over the surface. 

After school, Reborn - under the appearance of Master PaoPao- supervised the friendly battle between Ryohei and Tsuna. But things went wrong from the very start, and Tsuna wanted nothing more than to burn down the elephant hat that the hitman was wearing for retaliation.

It all started with Tsuna oversleeping thanks to some pills Reborn had given her for her sleeping problems. It was a nice gesture, she thought. But you can never trust a hitman. Especially a baby Hitman named Reborn.

The pills were so strong that she slept for her school’s first two morning periods. And by the time she woke up, she was so late and panicking so she forgot to grab her bento or even a slice of bread for breakfast. She ran all the way to school, all while listening to Reborn scoldings for not setting her alarm clock on time when it was his fault to begin with!

The pills left her feeling a bit dizzy and tired through all the day, but she was still able to maintain some semblance to her senses. Which is why she was aware of someone following her on her way to school despite the rushing morning, but she decided to ignore it. It was a weak presence after all and didn’t felt dangerous, besides she didn’t have time to deal with stalkers.

When she arrived at school, she sneaked inside without anyone noticing. Reborn made a mental note to question her about how easily she does it, but then again, she is always skipping classes, so there is no surprise there. Sadly, Kyoya was on patrols, so she was easily intercepted by the prefect.

She spent third and fourth period in the clutches of the violent prefect doing paperwork.

By lunchtime, Tsuna was hungry and crying over her poor misfortune, while Yamamoto and Gokudera tried to cheer her up. They even offered some of their lunch to her, which she accepted in tears.

They returned to class, History class to be exact, and it was only when the teacher asked for their assignment, did Tsuna remember she had to make an essay about their last lesson. Which she obviously didn’t, so with a gloomy aura surrounding her, she banged her head on her desk for forgetting about it.

The teacher, not happy that some students didn’t do their homework, assigned them -more like demanded- to hand in a 5 paged essay for tomorrow about chapter six and seven, much to their dismay because they haven’t covered that part on class yet. Tsuna, on the other hand, lighted up for Reborn had already forced her to read those chapters over and over until she remembered every word.

When school was finally over, Tsuna tried to escape but a Leon-rope wrapped around her body and dragged her towards the boxing club. Gokudera and Yamamoto were already there, along with Kyoko and Hana. Ryohei couldn't stop exclaiming how EXTREME it was to finally have a match with her. It was the total opposite of Tsuna's mood.

Both of them got ready, Ryohei in his boxing gear while Tsuna just changed into her sports uniform and borrowed some boxing gloves. The match was set that the first to be knocked down shall be the loser. And so, under Reborn's command, the fight began.

It started with Tsuna dodging every punch and jab aimed at her. She was fast on her feet and moved easily around the court. But even so, Ryohei managed to corner her and with the brunette doing nothing but dodging, Ryohei aimed for a right hook and punched her with enough force to send her to the floor.

Yamamoto had to restrain Gokudera from going to aid the brunette when she hit the floor. At their side, Kyoko gasped while Hana whistled at seeing the brunette take a hit on the face. Reborn on the other hand, scolded her to stop running away and to face her opponent with the same force and respect.

Having enough scoldings for a day, Tsuna stood up before her time was over and stretched her arms until a cracking sound was heard. With a sigh, she took position and nodded at Ryohei, who grinned back at her. 

The match continued with Tsuna throwing her own jabs and hooks as fast as she could. At first, Ryohei dodged with ease until eventually he got used to her pattern. Jab, jab, hook, jab, hook. It was a bad mistake for the brunette, and he easily turned the fight against her.

Reborn sighed, realizing the mistake of his student and prepared Leon as a gun to load with the dying will bullet. He had to admit, the brunette did have a technique, she was fast and agile, but she was also inexperienced and made beginners errors.

Looking at the fight, Ryohei had cornered Tsuna and went for another hook. Her friends exclaimed at her from the sidelines, warning her. But Tsuna had already seen the punch coming, but even if she did, her body was too slow to move. She couldn’t dodge or block it with her arm, so she fell to the floor once again. 

Groaning, she stood up with one side of her face throbbing in pain. Was it too late to call it quits? However, before she could even raise her hand, a small bullet hit her in the forehead with enough force to throw her head back and creating a wave of heat to travel all around her body. Everyone watched mesmerized as Tsuna was suddenly standing with a fierce glare, shirtless and with an orange flame on her forehead. 

And that's when things started to go down from bad to worse.

Because she was in a hurry this morning, Tsuna didn't realize that Bianchi had sneaked into her drawers and replaced all her sports bras with girly bras, and so the one she was wearing was a bit revealing for everyone in the room to see. 

Gokudera's mouth was hanging open and his eyes were wide in shock. Sure, he had seen her in her sports bras before, but to actually see a girl in real underwear was a huge strike for a teenage boy. His face turned cherry red and then he started yelling at everyone to stop looking at Juudaime like that.

Yamamoto blinked and blinked again. How did the brunette tear her shirt so fast, he had no idea. Nor can he explain why her forehead was on fire and why she wasn't screaming in pain. And it was only when Gokudera started yelling that he realized that the brunette wasn't wearing a sports bra like the last time, but a normal white polka orange bra. And so, he blushed.

Even Reborn had to pause and blink at his student. He didn't see that coming, and although it was great blackmailing material, he will still need to talk with Bianchi about it for it will be troublesome if Tsuna fights while being half-naked. One thing was to wear sports undergarments, but for an underaged girl to show her body like that in any mafia situation could lead to unwanted attention.

Kyoko gasped with a blush while Hana just blinked. Who knew the brunette had a nice figure? After all, Tsuna never wore anything that exposed much skin or her figure. Kyoko then ran towards the locker room, in search of a shirt for her friend and Hana tagged along, not wanting to stay in a room with hormonal monkeys. And it wasn't like she was leaving Tsuna; Hana knew that girl could kick ass.

Ryohei, on the other hand, was exclaiming how EXTREME the brunette was to have fire on her head without screaming in pain. He didn't seem bothered by her lack of clothing, he was more interested in the fact that she started to fight with more energy and enthusiasm.

Of course, Tsuna didn't notice her change of undergarments. She was too drugged by the dying will bullet to realize it. Her resolve was simple, ending this match so that she could go and do her essay assignment.

And like a blur, Tsuna dashed towards Ryohei with her hands up. They exchanged a few punches, dodged a few jabs, took some distance, only to dash at each other again. The boost of energy the flame gave Tsuna allowed her to become faster and stronger, having no limitations on her, she was able to surprise the boxer and knocked him out with a powerful punch. And because Ryohei didn’t get up after three seconds, Tsuna succeeded in winning the match. 

Shortly after that, the dying will bullet effect wore off and when Tsuna turned to complain to Reborn, she saw her the guys blushing faces and staring, so she looked down in horror at the realization. And then she shrieked loudly. 

That scream was enough to wake Ryohei up and he started shouting what and EXTREME fighter the brunette was and that he wanted the rematch, all the while Tsuna crossed her arms around her chest and screamed at Reborn, blaming him all for this. Yamamoto tried to calm Tsuna down, but his face only reddened more, which made Gokudera snap at him to stop looking at the brunette.

And then Hibari arrived, and everything went from worse to chaos.

The prefect was so mad about all the noise they were causing, they didn't even stand a chance.

He first went for Ryohei, for being the loudest in the room. 

Next were Yamamoto and Gokudera, for crowding around and creating a ruckus.

Then he went for Tsuna, for being in inappropriate clothing at school and around boys.

When Kyoko and Hana arrived, Hibari had left the four of them groaning and crying in pain on the floor. It took a couple of minutes for them to stand up without anything aching. Kyoko gave Tsuna a clean shirt, which the brunette happily accepted.

Then Reborn jumped into Tsuna's head, which made the brunette stumble and fall to the floor once more. The hitman thanked Ryohei for the friendly spar, but the boxer could only wonder where Master PaoPao had gone for the baby hitman had changed into his beloved black suit and fedora while the teens were being bitten to death.

Hana was the first to leave, saying she needed to prepare a class presentation for tomorrow. That only made Tsuna jump to her feet in reminding of the homework she needed to do, but as soon as she took a step, her legs trembled and down she fell again. All of her body was aching and felt like jelly, and with a pitiful groan, she realized she couldn’t move without something hurting. 

Thankfully, Gokudera offered to carry her on his back seeing Yamamoto’s arm was still healing, and together they walked towards the latter's sushi restaurant. And because Reborn didn’t want to lose the opportunity of a free ride, he tagged along on the baseball ace’s shoulder. Kyoko and her brother were also invited, but the orange-haired girl kindly refused and started dragging her brother home while reprimanding him for fighting Tsuna while she was in underwear. 

Tsuna could be wearing a unicorn onesie and the boxer would still fight her regardless that. He was a maniac when it comes to fighting after all. 

They soon arrived at the restaurant and claimed a table by the far corner, ann because Tsuna was dead tired, as soon as she was lowered to one of the seats she collapsed immediately with a pitiful groan. 

"You did great, by the way! I never knew you could fight" Yamamoto praised her with a grin and started to play with a strand of her loose hair in the table. 

"Of course Juudaime knows how to fight, you idiot" Gokudera crossed his arms "She is Juudaime, after all"

"Uggh" Tsuna groaned as another wave of dizziness hit her.

"Here you go, sushi to recover lost energy" Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, the owner of the restaurant and Yamamoto's father, came over to their table with a full order of sushi of all types, making Tsuna brighten up at the mention of food.

"Thanks for the food!" The three teens said before taking a bite of their respective orders.

"Oh, wow!" Tsuna sighed in delight "This is the best sushi I ever had!"

"Thank you, kid" Tsuyoshi laughed humbly from behind the counter after hearing the praise.

"Pops here can make the best sushi in all Namimori" Yamamoto told them with a grin.

"No argue on that" Tsuna said as she was already munching her fifth roll, Gokudera wasn't staying behind either. "I should bring my mom here next time"

They continued eating and chatting until they were full. Reborn was by himself in another section, drinking quietly. As soon as Tsuyoshi had spotted him, the man had been sharp and wary, and Reborn couldn't blame him. If an ex-assassin meets the world greatest hitman at his own house, it wasn’t going to be all flowers and rainbows unless someone drew their weapons and demanded answers. 

It wasn't long until some customers arrived and Reborn hopped to his student's table, announcing that it was getting late and they needed to go home. After insisting on paying for the food and failing miserably because Tsuyoshi offered it on the house, Tsuna stood up with wobbly legs but cheering herself mentally that she could at least stand on her own without stumbling.

"I'll walk you home, Juudaime." Gokudera told her and stood next to her, planning on catching her if she were to fall. Tsuna knew it was impossible to decline such offer, so she let the Italian bomber tag along. 

"See ya tomorrow, Yamamoto" Tsuna waved at the baseball ace and made her way to the exit with gokudera besides her and Reborn on her shoulder.

"Bye" Yamamoto called as he watched them leave.

"So, those are your new friends?" Tsuyoshi came over with a rag after placing down the order of the customers.

"Yup," Yamamoto grabbed the rag and started cleaning the table they used "They are pretty cool"

"Well, it sure good to see the old you smiling" His dad told him.

At those words, Yamamoto decided to remain silent but his smile didn't leave his face. Just thinking over what he almost did makes him want to bang his head for being an idiot. If Tsuna wasn't there on that day at the rooftop, who knew what could have happened.

"What are their names, by the way? You never told me" His father asked, coming back after serving the customers.

"Gokudera Hayato and Sawada Tsunayuki" Yamamoto replied, not aware of the flash of recognition that passed over his father's eyes. “I think both have foreign blood” 

"Sawada…" Tsuyoshi murmured to himself with narrowed eyes and couldn't help but pray that his son did not fall prey into some mafia plotted scheme.

**.**

**.**

**.**

On their way home, Tsuna had only stumbled twice. Gokudera offered to carry her but her pride didn't let her accept the offer again. Even more so because she didn’t want her mother to worry if she suddenly came home while being unable to walk on her own. And so, she continued walking with Reborn on top of her head and Gokudera by her side.

"Why am I more tired than usual?" She asked the hitman.

“Might be because of adrenaline.”  Reborn told her "Your body is still getting used to the dying will bullet and making you fight while under its effects could drain you if you are not prepared”

"Then stop doing it" Tsuna whined but Reborn pretended not to hear it. 

"Did you realize what you did wrong while fighting Ryohei?"

"I made a mistake?" Tsuna blinked, making Reborn sigh in annoyance.

"You can't use the same pattern in a fight or your opponent will use it against you, Dame-Tsuna"

"How would I know that?" Tsuna asked with a huff.

"It's common sense," Reborn said "Something people use on their daily life to solve problems, some more than others"

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Tsuna exclaimed with annoyance at the implication. 

Gokudera was wise and decided to remain silent. It was getting quite common to listen to the brunette bickering with the hitman and he was 100% sure that Reborn did it on purpose to get a rise out of the brunette. Part of him wanted to help her, but the other survivor part of him prevented him from getting in the middle of Reborn’s and his Juudaime crossfire. 

Suddenly, he couldn't hear the brunette behind him or her voice, so in panic he turned around and he sighed in relief when he saw her standing still a street behind him, eyes fixed on an old magnolia tree.

"Juudaime? Is something wrong?" He asked as he walked closer to her.

"What is it, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn asked and patted the brunette’s head when she didn't answer right away. 

"I thought I saw…" Tsuna blinked slowly before shaking her head "Nevermind, let's go"

Confused, Gokudera followed the brunette on her way home. Both he and Reborn turned to see the place Tsuna was staring at but there was nothing there, nothing but a bird flying away.

**.**

**.**

**.**

After arriving home, the brunette invited Gokudera to stay for dinner but he had to decline, for he also needed to prepare a class for tomorrow. Saying farewells, they went their own separates ways.

Tsuna greeted her mother with a smile, patted Lambo in the head and screamed at Bianchi for changing her wardrobe and crying how embarrassing it was when everyone saw her like that. Bianchi’s nonchalant response was that she needed to be more feminine.

Gritting her teeth, Tsuna went to her room to make her essay assignment while thanking whoever was up in the skies that she didn’t have an actual older sister. Living with both Bianchi and Lambo had taught her a lot of lessons, the principal being of locking her bedroom door. Should she set booby traps? Oh, no it was a horrible idea. Her mother could step on them.

Sighing, she closed her door and went towards her desk. She wanted to finish her homework as soon as possible so that she can go to sleep early. But of course, nothing turned out to be the way she wanted.

"I'm making an essay, can your questions wait?" Tsuna pleaded Reborn, who sitting in front of her with a pack of dynamites on his hands.

"A mafia boss can concentrate on two things at the same time" Reborn said knowingly.

"I told you I'm not gonna be a mafia boss" Tsuna said and started to write her essay, but of course, Reborn didn't care about what she wanted. He started asking her math questions, making her stop writing to solve the problems. So far, she had gotten all the problems correct, but her mind was starting to become overworked and Reborn's questions became more difficult.

"You aren’t planning to use that in here, are you? In my room?" Tsuna asked after a few minutes in distress, aware of the dynamite surrounding her desk and the manual control in the hitman’s hand.

"Answer correctly and I won't" The hitman said before asking another complicated question using an algebra equation. Tsuna hasn’t even study algebra before, how was she supposed to answer that?! She has no idea how she has survived so far but her luck was bound to run out. After a minute of high pressure, Tsuna couldn't keep focusing on what to write and what to answer. So it was no surprise when she answered incorrectly by reciting what she was writing on her essay instead of the actual answer. 

"Wait, no!" But it was too late.

"Wrong" Reborn smirked and pushed the button.

"No!" Tsuna cried before her entire desk was surrounded by smoke, she only had time to cover her face before everything exploded.

Coughing, Tsuna waved her hand to disperse the smoke and once it started to clear, she stared in dismay at the state her desk had become. It was a mess, more than before.

"M-My drawings… My paint… My essay…" Her eyes became glassy as she stared at the charred ruins her sketches and materials were, as well as her two paged essay that was crumbling to dust in front of her. Seeing that chaos, she immediately turned to glare at the hitman with anger.  “Reborn!” 

If the hitman was interested in Tsuna's killing intent the first time he sensed it, he surely was blinded by it when the brunette glared at him with a hard gleam of orange seeping into her eyes and with enough force to make someone tremble if they hadn’t had enough experience in the dark underworld that was the mafia. 

However, he wasn't ready for what came next. 

That was the first time Reborn ever faced the red hulk Tsuna could become and he swore he never wanted to experience that EVER again for the sake of his dignity. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

Miraculously, Tsuna managed to finish her essay on time.

After all the chaos, Tsuna -literally- kicked Reborn out of her room and didn't let him in. She worked all night and only stopped to have some dinner where she wouldn’t stop glaring at the hitman. When morning came, Tsuna was ready to pass out but she still made the effort to go to class. And although she spent half of them sleeping on her desk, she passed her math quiz with a 75 and her history essay was one of the best. 

Another good thing was that Reborn had to pay for all of her painting supplies that got ruined in the explosion. Tsuna was so happy, she couldn't stop smiling on her way home. And to compensate for her hard work, Reborn also bought her a new orange sketchbook even if the one she had been using survived the fire. The moment they arrived home, Tsuna immediately started drawing in her new notebook.

And so, a moderately calm week went by.

Because they didn’t want the incident to repeat again, they changed locations to the attic when Reborn was tutoring her. That way, the hitman could make things explode as much as he wanted without ruining things, seeing as there were just boxes and old stuff tucked away. Lambo occasionally tried to attack Reborn, but all of his attempts always failed and left him crying.

Yamamoto's arm was getting better and as soon as his cast got removed, he will return to play baseball. As for Gokudera, the poor boy got sick every time he and Bianchi were in the same room. She had to wear goggles to mask her face whenever the silver-haired boy visited and stayed for dinner at the Sawada residence. 

And after seeing the brunette fight with Ryohei, who kept trying to coax her into having another match despite the brunette declining, Reborn changed her training and start making her develop her own fighting style. It was slowly coming, but because the brunette seemed to be familiar with some stances, it wasn't much of a problem for her to try.

However, Tsuna could feel something beneath her skin that she has come to name it as the feeling of anticipation. It wasn’t just the eyes following her every move in the morning on her way to school. Reborn hadn’t taken any action, so she decided to ignore it too. But it was more than that. She couldn’t quite put it to words, but there was a slight foreboding sinking into her gut, and it was getting stronger each day. 

Because of the sleeping pills Rebron told her to take after dinner, her tired body quickly succumbed to the pull of sleep so she hadn’t had any dreams or nightmares lately, although she woke up with a dull headache in the morning, she was getting enough rest. Although it probably wasn’t healthy for someone her age to take sleeping pills… 

Maybe she should take a break from them? It was Friday, and all she wanted to do was get home and relax on her own. Maybe the effect was still in her system so she wouldn’t need them for the weekend. She didn’t want to become dependant of them, even if they helped a little. 

Seeing as none of the boys could walk with her that day - not even Reborn was there - she took her time walking home and enjoyed her little alone time that has become so limited. Her walk was slow and peaceful, but as soon as she rounded the corner of her street her heart came to halt as she saw men in black suits surrounding her house. Panicked that something bad had happened, Tsuna rushed towards her house.

"Stop there, no one is allowed to pass" One of the men grabbed her arm, but Tsuna snatched her arm back.

"I live here, move" She glared at him, already planning on fighting if they didn't let her in.

"Is it her?" One of them asked and received an affirmative nod from another man.

"My apologies" The one who grabbed her moved aside and Tsuna didn't waste any time in rushing inside.

"Mom?" She called but received no answer "Mom are you here? Bianchi?" She looked around the kitchen, but there was no one home.

The sound of footsteps coming downstairs made her tense up and turn around to face the intruders but her lips parted in a silent gasp when she saw the familiar older man with the moustache. 

"Sawada-san" Said the man with a nod and a smile curling in his lips "It's been a while, you seriously grew up"

"Romario!?" Her eyes wide in recognition and then her head snapped towards upstairs in surprise "It can't be"

She ran to her room with a grin forming on her lips as she threw her door open with enough force for it to swung her inside. Half stumbling, she looked around to see Reborn sipping a cup of espresso on her bed, a bodyguard near the window and a blond guy sitting on a black sofa chair next to him. The moment the door was violently opened, everyone looked up at the sudden commotion the girl did. Reborn was expecting the brunette to scream and start demanding what was happening, but once again, he was wrong.

"Dino!" The brunette exclaimed with a bright smile and ran towards the blond, who had stood up the moment he saw her enter.

"Tsuny-chan!" The blond embraced her and nuzzled his cheek into her hair. "Oh~ look at you! You grew up into such a cute little lady" Dino took a step back so that he could see her in a better view and grinned fondly down at her "But you are still short"

"Who are you calling short, Baka-Dino!" Tsuna grumbled while kicking his shin. 

"Sorry, sorry" The blond sat back down on the couch to nurse his injured leg.

"You two know each other?" Reborn said with crossed arms, his fedora hiding the suspicious in his eyes and creating an ominous shadow on his face. 

"He is like my big brother"/ "She's my little sister" They both replied at the same time and were wise to ignore the sudden spike of displeasure coming from the hitman.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Tsuna as she sat on the floor, far away from the hitman on her bed and stared at Dino wide awe on her face. 

"I came to visit, of course," Dino grinned at her expression "After your call, I got worried you would do something crazy. Besides, Reborn asked me to come and meet you. As the 10th head of the Cavallone family, and a previous student of Reborn,  I thought maybe I could give you some advice"

"That's sweet of you" Tsuna said with a little smile. Just the fact that Dino was here, in her room lifted her spirit immensely. "Are you staying for dinner? Where is mom, by the way?" She asked the last question to Reborn, who had been watching the exchange silently.

"Mama went with Bianchi and the annoying brat to the supermarket, they will be back soon" Reborn set his cup aside and narrowed his eyes at the brunette. "But what I would like to know, is how do you know this idiot"

Dino and Tsuna exchanged glances, a look that was not missed by the hitman and he watched them have a silent conversation. After a minute of silent staring, the blond sighed and dismissed his bodyguard. The man bowed and they all watched him leave the room, as soon as the door was closed Rebron glared at them. 

"What are you two hiding?" He demanded. 

"You mean Grandpa Timothy didn't tell you?" Tsuna blinked at the hitman.

"Tell me what?" Reborn crossed his arms and frowned at the nickname the brunette used to refer the current Vongola boss. 

“I lived in Italy for two years in Nono’s summer house,” Tsuna said as she brought her knees close to her chest “But Iemitsu would sometimes take me to Vongola’s Headquarters. I met people, trained this and that and when I was 7 years old, I flew back to Japan with my mom.” 

“Why isn’t this on the records?” Reborn asked. 

He had checked in search of Tsuna’s ‘vacation’ but couldn’t find her name or even a mention of a civilian family moving into Vongola’s properties. The archivist job was to record such instances, to register who arrived and who left to keep order in case someone who shouldn’t be there was intruding. But there were no records of Tsuna being in Italy, he couldn’t even find plane tickets under the name of Sawada. It was like the girl was either a ghost or a liar.

“It’s because I erased it” Tsuna confessed in a small voice and quickly avoided the hitman’s glare. “Some time later, I hacked into the Vongola system and changed all the information about me so that my mom and I wouldn't be targeted" 

"What?" The hitman breathed out and Dino could only sit in silence and watch the exchange.

"You know, on the computer..." Tsuna murmured "I didn't want my mom to be hurt because of all of this and seeing as I had a high profile, I erased it so that no one would suspect a thing"

He didn’t know whether to believe it or not. The brunette wasn’t the brightest when it comes to academics, but she was surprisingly very good when it comes to the Arts. He hasn’t seen her use a computer in all his stay here, so unless she has proof he won’t right down believe her, but he won’t ignore her words either. 

"What else are you hiding, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn jumped from the bed to land in front of the brunette.

"Well…" Tsuna bit her lip "Dino informed me about some things involving Vongola and... uh... Lal used to babysit me"

"Lal Mirch?" Reborn asked with a raised eyebrow and Tsuna could only nod "No wonder you have mood swings"

"She can be quite scary" She whispered with a shiver.

"That doesn't answer how you to know each other"

"Oh, well" Dino finally decided to butt in the conversation "It was when a meeting between Cavallone and Vongola happened at Vongola headquarters. When it ended, you told me to wait outside while you talked with Nono. I got bored and decided to walk around the gardens. That's when little Tsuna ran into me, saying that she was playing hide-and-seek and needed help on hiding"

"You were playing hide and seek in Vongola headquarters?!" Reborn snapped at the brunette who flinched at the accusation. 

"Yeah...so?" Tsuna tried to shrug it off "I was a little girl"

"After that meeting, Tsuny-chan told me where she was staying so when I had free time, I stopped by and visited. When she moved back to Japan we kept in touch, but I never knew she was bound to become Vongola Decimo. It was a surprise." Dino said with his chin resting in his palm.

"Where did that chair come from, anyway?" Tsuna asked Dino as she stared at the big sofa chair. They had moved her desk to the other side of the room so that the chair could fit neatly beside the window. There was no need to bring it though, Dino could have used her desk chair but at her question, the blond merely winked at her.

"Ma-gic~"

"Baka" Tsuna stuck her tongue at him. 

"Why did you go to Italy in the first place?" Reborn asked, hungry for more information.

"Iemitsu wanted to be closer with mom. Grandpa Timothy was kind enough to let us use his summer house" Tsuna pouted as she rested her head in her knees "It's a shame, I really liked that place"

"Then why did you return?" The hitman pressed on.

"A certain incident happened… and Iemitsu practically brainwashed my mom on never letting me place a foot in Italy again" Tsuna told him with a roll of eyes and by the way she talked, Reborn could see that she and her father weren't on good terms. But her words only left him more curious.

"An incident?" Reborn looked at the brunette with a frown "What kind of incident? There isn't anything revolving the daughter of the CEDEF leader in the Vongola records"

"That's because I erased it, didn't I tell you before? I hacked into the Vongola system and erased all of my information to keep my mom safe".

"What happened?"

Silence filled the room with an uncomfortable tension as Dino shifted and looked at Tsuna with conflicted eyes and the brunette breathed out a silent breath as she turned her head away from them. 

"I was kidnapped." She said quietly "I don't remember much of it, but whatever happened, it was enough to shake Iemitsu and Grandpa Timothy"

"Why didn't you say anything?" Reborn asked with a frown. 

"I thought you knew," Tsuna told him sincerely. "I never told anyone, not even Lal, but I knew that Grandpa Timothy suspected of me knowing about Vongola. So when you came, I thought it was because he sent you here to train me to become stronger, not to become a mafia boss"

"Well it's too late for that" Reborn told her with a huff but then he nodded to himself "That would explain your strange behaviour about not being surprised of the mafia and having been trained before"

Tsuna sighed and unfolded from the protective ball she had become to stretch her arms while yawning. Dino made a joke about her still acting like a lazy cat, which resulted in the brunette silencing him with a glare and a pout. Reborn sighed, knowing he would have to talk with his boss about the newfound revelation and demand for more answers.

"So what now?" Asked the brunette.

"Well, as your tutor, it is my duty to make sure that no harm is done to you, so I'll have to confiscate all of your electronics and have some technician check all the information to verify that you weren't tracked"

"What?!" Tsuna looked at him, startled.

"So hand over your laptop, cell-phone, GPS, microchips and everything else you carry" Reborn demanded with his hand open in front of him.

"And if I refuse?" Tsuna grunted and crossed her arms.

"I can always make you go to school in underwear" Reborn told her smugly, knowing that the brunette wouldn't run from that.

"You are evil" Tsuna glared at him and stood up to collect her things.

"Thank you" He told her when she gathered all of her belongings in a pile at her desk. 

"Can I at least stay with my I-pod?" She asked with a little hope.

"No"

"Should have known" Her shoulders fell and she turned to glare at the blond "This is all your fault"

"What? How so?!" He asked with a puzzled expression.

"If you haven't come, maybe I wouldn't have revealed my secret and my things wouldn't be confiscated"

"Oh come on, that's totally not fair" Dino whined at her. ”I wanted to see you” 

"Shut up, I'm not talking to you" Tsuna sat down on her bed with crossed arms.

"But it wasn't my fault" Dino pouted and looked at her "Why are you even grumpy, at least part of your dream came true"

"Don't go in there" She warned him

"Dream, what dream?" Reborn looked at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Dino" Tsuna stood with a glare, grabbing her pillow in hands but the blond was oblivious to it.

"Well, when Tsuny-chan was little, she always said that when she grew up she wanted to be the best hitman in the world, and you were her role model, Reborn"

"That's it!" Tsuna pounced at Dino, knocking him out of his chair and started whacking him with the pillow. 

"No, wait, Tsuny-chan, don't kill me!" Dino’s begs were ignored even when he could have easily thrown the brunette off him. 

"Silence, traitor and suffer!"

Ignoring Reborn's amusement smirk at their side, they kept playing until the blond surrender by faking his death. Tsuna stood up while mumbling to herself about stupid older siblings who do nothing but to annoy her as she let the pillow fall over the blond’s face. Dusting her hands, she walked towards her closet to grab a change of clothes and groaned  when she felt eyes on her.

"What?" She snapped at Reborn.

"Role model?" He asked with an innocent smile.

"Shut up! I was 6, okay!" Tsuna blushed and turned around so that she was facing the wall.

"How cute" Reborn played with the rim of his fedora "Just for that, I'll reduce your training"

"Thanks?" Tsuna murmured as she walked out of the room and towards the bathroom to change out of her uniform.

Reborn sighed as she walked out and went towards Dino, who was still on the floor.

"Oi, Baka-Dino, wake up" Reborn kicked him in the stomach, making the blond gasp for air.

"I'm alive? I'm alive!" The blond exclaimed with tears in his eyes.

"Idiot" Reborn shook his head "Send your men away, Sawada-mama will return soon"

Dino did as he was told, and his men returned to the hotel they were staying at by the time Nana returned with Bianchi and Lambo. Turns out that Nana met Dino when they lived in Italy, and she welcomed him with wide-open arms. Not that she wouldn't do that to anyone else, she is way too humble.

Tsuna also discovered that Dino was a complete klutz without his men around, and much to his horror, the brunette had to wipe him out from her ‘Cool people list’ after he made a mess in dinner and destroyed one of her canvases.

By nightfall, Reborn didn't know what to think anymore. With the brunette being aware of the mafia world things would be much easier. But just how much did she know and what exactly happened in her stay in Italy?

He would have to dig in for more information. He knew the brunette was hiding something else and wasn't telling anyone. And if the quiet glances Dino and Tsuna shared had something to do with it, he would have to punish both for lying to him.

All he could say was that things were going to change.

And probably not for the better.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> I'm going to follow the anime/manga arks for the first part of the story, with a few twists and turns, of course. Expect the unexpected, I'm warning you. And after that, it will be completely new original arcs.


	5. Girl Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Chapter. Hope you guys like it! We're at the Daily ARC so things are a bit slow and light while the characters get to know each other better. But the calm won't last for long…

**.**

**.**

**.**

Despite being a Mafia Boss, Dino was a cheerful and kindhearted person. 

He cares deeply for his family and friends and enjoys every tiny moment of his life with them. That's why, after being separated from his little sister for six long years with no other way of communication but long distance phone calls and emails, Dino was overjoyed to finally see her again. It was a bit sad knowing that he missed six years from her life, but now nothing will stop him from catching up and make up for the lost time.

That's why he was staying over at the Sawada residence for the weekend before he returned to Italy. He didn’t want to return so soon, but duty calls and with Reborn’s stinky eyes on him he was forced to act on his obligations. So packed with pastries and a sleeping bag under his arm, he walked towards Tsuna’s room in a good mood. 

"I'm back~" He exclaimed with a bright smile as he opened the door, but he received no cheerful greeting, instead there was a pillow smacking him in the face. 

"Go away!" Tsuna cried from her bed, sniffling as she whipped the tears away from her cheeks. That sight alarmed him immediately.

"Tsuny-chan, what's wrong?! Why are you crying?" Dino ran towards the brunette with a worried expression, placing the pastries on her bed to assess the source of distress. 

"I c-can't believe he did that!" Tsuna sobbed in her hands.

"Who did what?" Dino placed his arms around her shoulders in comfort.

"Why does he have to make me suffer like this?" The brunette sniffed again.

"Who is making you suffer?" Dino asked her seriously, already planning many ways of torturing the soul who dared hurt his precious little sister.  _ Who do I have to kill?  _ was his silent question but Tsuna continued to cry in her hands.

"It was supposed to be fun and sporty, but why is he breaking my heart in every chapter?" The brunette exclaimed in his arms.

"Ha?" Hold on a minute, what was she saying? Whatever thoughts Dino had were gone when Tsuna smacked his face with something.

"Look!" Tsuna pulled back the little book she was holding against Dino's face and pointed her finger at a certain page "He is crying! Oh, my poor baby. He just got his hopes crushed!"

Now that the book was away from his face, he could see drawings in black and white, along with some dialogue on the pages with some character crying on what seemed to be a volleyball court. 

"Oh, manga" Dino sighed in relief and then patted the brunette on the back, who continued moping about the little comic "There, there, Tsuny-chan, I'm sure things will get better" 

Tsuna looked up at him with an incredulous expression that made him nervously chuckle.

"Err… When a character is suffering, something happy is bound to happen and make things better"

"Y-You promise?" Tsuna sniffed and looked up at him with new hope.

"Y-yes" Dino bit his lip, cursing internally for not having a camera at the moment. The brunette was just too cute!

"What's with the tears, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn decided to appear just in time to see Dino handing a handkerchief to the brunette.

"Please don't make me remember" Tsuna blew her nose "It's too painful"

Reborn merely blinked and dismissed the situation as a normal overdramatic teenage girl moment.  It wouldn’t be the first time the brunette cried without him being the cause of it.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Dino exclaimed with a huge smile and dug into his bag for something and once he found said object, he handed it to the brunette "Here, this will make you feel better"

"Is this what I think it is?!" Tsuna exclaimed with bright eyes as she held a small tupper for better inspection. 

"I picked them up before coming here" Dino said as he placed his bag next to the sleeping bag on the floor and sat on the bed next to her.

"What is it?" Reborn asked when Tsuna opened the blue container and popped into her mouth a small bluish ball. 

"Blueberries" The brunette sighed happily as she chewed the small berry "The summer house is full of them, I used to pick a full basket every afternoon" She told the hitman before eating another berry "They are still as bitterly sweet as I remember~"

"I will bring a box full of them every time I visit you, how does that sound?" Dino asked with a wink, knowing full well how much the brunette was addicted to them. 

"I will freaking love you" Tsuna looked at him with shiny eyes and Dino couldn't help it but daydream of him and the brunette dancing on a flower field with happy smiles.

"My god, I can't stop eating" Tsuna breathed out as she continued eating the berries.

"Keep eating them, maybe your skin will turn blue" Reborn said from his place near the window.

"Yeah? Then you expect me to become fat like a berry and roll down the street while crushing kids in my path?" Tsuna asked with an angry pout which disappeared quickly by the sudden sensation of something wet and slimy smearing on her cheek and making her squirm. "Hey! That tickles"

"Leon, she is not a berry yet" Reborn told his beloved pet, who had made his way across the room and to the brunette's shoulder.

"Wanna try one, Leon?" Tsuna offered one round berry to the small chameleon, ignoring the hitman’s jabs, and her face broke into a smile when Leon wrapped his sticky tongue around the small berry and ate it with a happy expression "Oh~ he likes them"

"That reminds me" Dino came out from his fantasy and took something out from his jacket "Look what I got here"

"You have a pet?" Tsuna raised an eyebrow at the small turtle in Dino's hands, before looking up at the blond with suspicious "You can take care of a turtle?"

"Of course I can!" Dino stated proudly "Her name is Enzo, she came from an egg produced by Leon."

"She is cute" Tsuna said as Dino handed her the small turtle so that she could cradle her in her hands. The brunette was busy admiring the reptile and feeding the chameleon on her shoulder, that it took her a minute for her brain to register what the blond said and she did a double-take by staring at the green lizard with wide eyes "Wait, so Leon's a mommy?"

"Leon is special," Reborn said as he hopped down to the brunette's bed. "As you have noticed, he can morph into many different things, but also, he can produce special things such as Enzo or Baka-Dino's weapon. He can also produce the dying will bullets" The hitman explained as he offered a hand for his pet to climb on but Leon refused to leave as Tsuna kept giving him blueberries, thus making the hitman hum in annoyance. 

"I didn't see that coming" Tsuna blinked at the green chameleon and scratched his head gently with a finger "You are an awesome little guy" 

Her only response was her fingers getting licked.

"Tsuna dear, can you go to the store and buy me some eggs and milk?" Nana said from downstairs.

"Yeah!" The brunette closed the tupper to save what little berries she had left and handed the turtle back to Dino before jumping out of her bed to start making her way downstairs to grab some money. 

Lambo has been surprisingly quiet the whole day, but Tsuna didn’t want to jinx her luck and making him turn her day crazy. It was nice to have calm and lazy days sometimes. 

"I'll walk you out," Dino said as he walked next to her "I need to go back to the hotel where I'm staying and check-in with my men before I come back for dinner"

"You should learn to care for your subordinates, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn said as he hopped towards the brunette's shoulder, not before giving a pointing look at Leon, who finally crawled on the top of the hitman's fedora.

"First you have to get me to accept the position of boss, which isn't going to happen, before giving me talks about subordinates. I don't want to lead others" Tsuna said before putting on her shoes and walking out of the house. "Forget that, I don't even know how to lead"

"In time, you will" Dino and Reborn said at the same time, making the brunette blush lightly, for they said it with so much confidence that it made her stomach flutter.

"I will see you soon!" Dino said as they parted ways on the next street.

"Please be careful" Tsuna exclaimed back and continued her way to the grocery store.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"So…" Tsuna said as she tried to start a conversation with Reborn "You taught Dino everything you know?"

"Jealous?" Reborn smirked, clearly not forgetting about the whole role model thing.

"As if" Tsuna, as if sensing his amusement, pouted angrily.

"Don't worry dame-Tsuna, the world's greatest hitman is here to teach you" Reborn patted the brunette's cheek as if to seal the promise, and jumped into the brunette's head before said girl batted his hand away.

"Stop mocking me!" She exclaimed with an angry blush. It wasn't fair that Reborn kept getting more and more blackmail each day. Said hitman smirked, obviously having fun in teasing the girl.

They arrived at the store, bought groceries and turned to walk back home. Tsuna was just waiting for Reborn to do something, shoot her, make her fight someone, anything. But he didn't move from his place on her shoulder. She was a bit sceptical but decided to enjoy the moment while it lasts.

Which were only two minutes.

The brunette stopped walking when she saw a little girl looking around with a paper in hand. She saw Tsuna and timidly walked towards her.

"Oh, are you lost?" Tsuna knelt down so that she could hear the girl better. She was a foreign, probably from China, Tsuna concluded by her outfit.

"Namimori. Shampang. Hotel" She asked in broken Japanese.

"Just keep going forward and then turn right at the crossroad. You won't miss it; it's a huge white building with bright yellow letters" The brunette said slowly so that the little girl could understand.

"Thank you" The little girl bowed and ran into the direction Tsuna instructed.

"You're welcome! And please be careful" Tsuna called before the little girl disappeared from view. The brunette was going to walk before she remembered something "Hey, isn't that the hotel Dino is staying at?"

"Yes, I wonder why she is heading there" Reborn shrugged with a knowingly glint in his eyes that went unnoticed by the brunette.

"Who knows" She sighed as she hoisted up her groceries and started to walk again. "Hey, Reborn?" She asked after a few seconds with a thoughtful face.

"Yes?"

"When you have a low threatening stalker, what is your best option?" She asked.

"Go for a direct attack. Be firm, you don't know what the stalker true intentions are"

"Oh, okay" Tsuna put her groceries down, again, and turned around with her hands on her hips to face the person who had been following her for the past 10 minutes "I know you are there! Can you stop following me, please!"

"So you found me" A figure stepped out from an alley wearing what seemed to be a mix of a samurai/pyjama/tracksuit outfit, with a purple helmet and holding a hockey stick.

"Wasn't that hard" Tsuna sweatdropped at the appearance "Who are you? Why are you following me?"

"My name is Miura Haru and I have seen and heard everything you have been teaching this poor baby" Haru took out her helmet, revealing the dark brown haired girl who greeted them a couple of weeks ago on their way to school and pointed an accused finger towards the Tsuna "How dare you!"

"How dare I?" Tsuna blinked and looked at Reborn, who blinked back at her.

"Babies are angels with white pure hearts, and you are trying to destroy their sweet purity with your rotten heart!" Haru exclaimed with passion.

"Rotten heart?" Tsuna muttered with a frown.

"Do you need anything?" Reborn asked the crazy girl, tilting his head.

"Hahi? Of course, I do!" Haru looked at Tsuna with anger and determination "I can't let you corrupt this baby's innocence any longer, so I will just keep him for myself!"

There was silence for a minute, no one moved or reacted towards the proclamation. But before they knew it, an incredulous looking Reborn was in Haru's hands and Tsuna was walking far away from them with her groceries.

"Okay"

"Okay?"

"Okay?!"

"He is all yours" Tsuna said before quickly turning around and walking into a different street to escape the impending doom. Was it possible to get home before disaster happens? She thought sourly to herself as she quickens her way, knowing full well that the devil will be at her heels at any moment. 

So distracted she was on her mind, that she wasn’t aware of a familiar boy walking ahead of her until he called her. 

"Juudaime!"

Tsuna stopped her rambling thoughts and looked up to see Gokudera waving at her.

"Hey" She smiled at him and slowed down a little so that he could catch up with her. And as he neared, she had to blink when she saw a white stick on his lips, and by the smoke coming out of it, she was sure it wasn't a lollipop. But oh well, who was she to judge?

"What are you doing walking by yourself on a Saturday noon? It's dangerous" Gokudera asked her with a worried face and glanced around to make sure no one suspicious was around. Tsuna bit her tongue when she remembered Haru, wondering what kind of reaction Gokudera will make.

"Groceries" She motioned the bag in her hands, which were quickly asked - more like begged- to be carried by him "And you?"

"I was on my way to grab some food" He said, and the two started to walk towards the brunette's house.

"You can have lunch with us" She told him.

"R-Really?!" Gokudera asked brightly "I mean, I don't want to bother"

"It's okay. My mom loves cooking and feeding people" Tsuna smiled with ease "You will have to stand Bianchi and Dino's clumsiness though"

"The buckling horse?" Gokudera raised an eyebrow, recognizing the name despite not hearing the Family’s one. 

"The one and only" Tsuna nodded before eying the cigarette with curious eyes "I didn't know you smoked"

"Y-yeah, I-" Gokudera had a grim face and went to put out his cigarette by stepping on it.

"I'm not scolding you for it," Tsuna told him softly "But please take into consideration that it can harm your health"

"Hai" Gokudera nodded and smiled at her "Thank you"

Tsuna could only get to smile for five seconds, before her face met the ground violently, all thanks to a powerful kick at the back of her head.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera exclaimed in horror.

"What the hell were you thinking dame-Tsuna, leaving me with a girl like her!" Reborn appeared next to the brunette, with Leon in gun-mode in his hand and glaring at her.

"Reborn-san!" Gokudera called and hugged the groceries bag closer to him when the hitman ignored him and continued to glare at the girl.

"Payback for calling me a fat-berry and teasing me" She murmured darkly as she pushed herself off the ground.

"What was that?" Reborn snapped and pointed his gun at her.

"Nothing!" Tsuna stood up with her hands raised up in surrender.

"Wait! Baby-chan! Come back!" Out in the distance, they heard the yell of a girl.

"She followed you?" Tsuna asked Reborn and took a step back when Haru came into view. And once she spotted Tsuna, boy did she looked mad.

"HAHI! IT'S YOU! YOU EVIL HEARTED PERSON" She yelled and started running towards Tsuna with the hockey stick up in the air. "I SHALL SAVE ALL THE BABIES FROM EVILS LIKE YOU!"

"What did you do to her?!" Tsuna eyes Reborn in horror "Oh my god, Run!"

"What the hell is that thing?!" Gokudera asked once he and Tsuna were a good couple of meters away "U.M.A?"

"Worse, that's a crazy girl!" Tsuna exclaimed.

They kept running, dodging people who looked at them as if they were crazy and Haru, despite her heavy and noisy outfit, was keeping up with them pretty well. It felt like they had run all over town for Tsuna had circled her house over two times, the second time Nana luckily came out to dispose of the trash, so she was handed the groceries bag with the yells of:

'I'll be late for lunch, mom!' 'I'm sorry Sawada-san!' 'Come back here!'

But she dismissed it with a smile thinking how youthful the kids were and happy that her daughter was finally playing with kids her age. 

They even passed a sushi restaurant, where a raven-haired boy was also taking out the trash, and once he saw them he decided to join the fun.

"Yo! What are we playing?" Yamamoto asked with a laugh.

"W-Where did you come from?" Gokudera exclaimed while Tsuna was busy praying for her life and cursing Reborn for ruining her day.

"Stop running!" Haru yelled, but she was ignored.

"Are we playing tag?" Yamamoto asked with fun evident in his eyes.

"This is not a game, idiot!" Gokudera barked back, and once the two started arguing they missed Tsuna taking the left road while they went to the right.

Tsuna ran and ran and didn't slow down till she reached a bridge over a river.

"I'm…tired…" She panted and leaned over the side of the bridge to support herself.

"It's…the end" Haru, who had followed her closely behind, also stopped to catch her breath.

"What did I do to you?" Tsuna asked with a whine in her voice, not understanding this girl’s motives.

"Teaching an innocent baby about mafia things and how to wield a weapon!" Haru glared at her and raised her hockey stick "Now hold still"

"I didn't teach him that! He came into my house already knowing it" Tsuna cried while dodging the hockey stick. "I'm innocent, I swear!"

"Why should I believe you? He said you were a mafia boss!" Haru accused her.

"He said that?" Tsuna groaned and jumped out of the way from an incoming attack.

"Stop dodging and let me hit you!"

"I don't think that's how it works!"

After five minutes of running and dodging in circles, Haru was the first one to stop.

"Okay, fine. We'll do this" She managed to put her hands in her hips despite one of them still holding the hockey stick "If you are a mafia boss, you should be strong, right? So fight me"

"What?" Tsuna's shoulders fell.

"If you win, I'll let you go and turn you into the police, but if I win, I can help you forget this mafia trauma of yours"

"You serious?" Tsuna whined, but sighed when she saw Haru's fierce glare "How about if I win, we forget about all of this and if you win, you can ask Reborn if he wants to stay with you"

"Fine!"

And so, they proceed to run around like a game of cat and mouse, nothing much changed from their previous interaction. Tsuna dodged while Haru tried to whack her, it would have been so easy to take advantage of the girl, punch her or push her over the bridge. But Tsuna wasn’t mean nor a bad person, so despite being annoyed by this, she didn’t try to hurt the other girl. 

That is until she Tsuna crouched down to dodge the hockey stick aimed at her head, making Haru lose her balance and spin in the lost momentum, leading her dangerously close to the edge.

“Look out!” Jumping quickly to her feet,  Tsuna stood and tried to hold her arm, but as she tried to do so, the tip of her shoe hit a tiny rock in front of her, making her stumble over and crashing directly into Haru. But with the girl unbalanced state and Tsuna's accidental push, they both stumble back until Haru’s back hit the parapet. And that's when Gokudera and Yamamoto found them.

"Sorry!" Tsuna apologized for accidentally pushing her and tried to pull them back, but Haru’s weight seemed to be sinking them down. 

"I'm sorry!" Haru cried too, letting go of the hockey stick to try and grab into something to stand her ground and try to keep balance, but with her back facing nothing, her body started going backwards thanks to the weight of the heavy armour she was wearing "Hahi! Why am I moving?"

"Hold on!" Tsuna managed to shout and grab tightly into her arm as gravity finally pulled them over the bridge.

"Tsuna, watch out!" Yamamoto called too late, and both watched in horror as both girls fell down and into the water. 

"Juudaime!"

They ran back towards the river bank and watched for any sign of the girls. It wasn’t a long distance from the bridge and the river and the water stream was tame and still, so the fall should have hurt much. But the thing was, it’s been close to a minute and there was still no sign of them, 

"They are not coming out" Gokudera cursed and immediately dived into the waters, followed closely by Yamamoto.

**.**

**.**

**.**

_ Darkness. _

_ That is all there is _

_ It is dark and it is cold _

Where am I?

_ Was I falling? If so, why was I floating? _

_ This familiar memory… where have I seen it before? _

**"** **_..un.. ca.."_ **

What?

_ Everything around me, there is nothing more than a vast darkness surrounding me, chilling to the bone and softly pulling me under.  _

**_“e̷r...me̷”_ **

_ Someone is… calling?  _

**"…** **_he̷ar…"_ **

_ Someone is… _

" **_Me̷?"_ **

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Tsuna!"

She barely felt her lungs filled with cold air before a coughing fit assaulted her.

"Wha…" She looked around in confusion. The last thing she remembered was crashing into the river with Haru, trying to pull herself out of the water but a heavy pull was dragging her down, then…. She was coughing her lungs out, safe and sound along with Haru on the shore.

"Juudai-

Before Gokudera could fuss over her, Haru threw herself towards Tsuna and hugged tightly.

"I'm so sorry! You almost died saving me! And you weren't waking up and I got so scared and didn't know what to do and I-

"Stop talking," Tsuna said in a hoarse voice, making the other girl sniff while she released her. The brunette then took a deep breath before placing a hand on her head with a weak groan.

"Are you alright, Juudaime?" Gokudera asked at her side, holding her shoulders to keep her body from falling.

"Everything´s spinning~" She closed her eyes and tried not to throw up.

"I'm so… I'm so sorry" Haru cried softly. Her heavy armour made both of them almost drown, yet Tsuna tried to get her to swim when even she was failing miserably. 

"Hey, it's alright" Tsuna stood up and almost fell if it weren't for Yamamoto and Gokudera catching her. Now that Tsuna saw them both better, they were dripping wet, so she didn't have to connect the dots to know what happened.

"Don't stand too quickly!" Haru took a tentative step towards the brunette "You don't have any head injury, but please be careful"

"Are you hurt?" Tsuna asked her, at which Haru shook her head slowly, making Tsuna smile a little "Then it's cool"

Haru watched in silence how the boys fussed over the brunette while she smiled tiredly at them and tried to step away from their protective hold. And at that moment, all thoughts of rotten hearts was gone from her mind and Haru smiled brightly.

"I have decided" She declared, making the other three turn towards her.

"Decided what?"

"I will become your best friend and we will be together forever!" Haru told Tsuna with the same fierce determined eyes, making the brunette blink blankly.

"…"

"…"

"I'm leaving" Tsuna turned around to walk away, but stopped when a familiar weight fell gently over her head.

"Don't run away from a declaration, Dame-Tsuna"

"Reborn" She groaned.

"Reborn-chan!" Haru was about to reach the brunette, but she was held back by a hand on her wet shirt. Her heavy armour had been discarded and was now adorning the bottom of the river, leaving her in just her pyjama pants and t-shirt. 

"Stupid U.M.A woman, don't get near Juudaime again!" Gokudera scolded her with a glare.

"Hahi? Haru's not an  Unidentified Mysterious Animal! ” Haru glared back at him.

"Let's go home, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn said, patting the brunette on the head when she started to yawn.

"I'll walk you there, Juudaime"

"Sorry to drag you in this Yamamoto, but could you walk her home? It's getting dark and with her wet clothes…" Tsuna told him, nodding towards Haru who was making ugly faces to an annoyed Gokudera. 

"Maa, Maa, it's not a burden" Yamamoto waves it off with a smile "Surely, my father will kill me if he ever founds out that I let a defenceless girl walk alone"

"Hey! I can protect myself just fine!"

"I can see that" He grinned at her as they started to walk and turned back to wave at the others "See ya guys on Monday"

"Why didn't you help the girl get out of the water?" Reborn asked Tsuna, who was slowly climbing into Gokudera’s back as the boy had practically knelt in front of her and offered to take her home and was too tired to argue. 

"I don't know how to swim…" She confessed in a whisper.

"Dame-Tsuna, that's pathetic"

"Shut up! This is your fault anyway!"

"Don't worry Juudaime, I can't teach you"

It didn’t take long to reach her house, and once they were at the door, Tsuna climbed down and dragged Gokudera inside for a well-deserved meal. She was just removing her wet shoes when a dishevelled Dino covered in black dust appeared before her.

"Tsuny-chan!" he cried.

"Dino, what?!" She gaped at his appearance.

"A crazy baby suddenly attacked me and now I have to hide here! She exploded my room!”

Tsuna would have found it funny, listening to Dino complaining about a baby suddenly turning into a bomb and destroying his room, if it weren’t for the sudden dizzy spell that made her groan out loud and lean onto Gokudera, who was quick to hold her and helped her sit on the couch. 

“Juudaime, are you okay?” 

"Your face is pink" Dino noted, peering down at her with worry eyes before smirking slightly to lighten the mood "Are you thinking about how charming I am?"

"Back off! She is too innocent to even see you as a charming man" Bianchi came out from the kitchen and threw him some of her poisonous cooking. Gokudera fainted the moment he saw his sister and her food, and by the noise, Lambo came down to add his own mischief, but he was immediately attacked alongside with Dino by Bianchi’s poisoned food. 

Suddenly, among all the chaos, Tsuna sneezed and it was like time froze for her.

"Oh please no" She groaned in her hands "Anything but a cold"

"Go dry and get change so you can eat, darling" Bianchi told her before finally knocking Dino out with a purple hamburger, falling next to an already unconscious Lambo and Gokudera.

Reborn was long gone, so Tsuna silently nodded and climbed the stairs. She closed the door to her room and dried her hair with a towel before changing into some dry clothes. Her head was throbbing, and she could feel her eyes dropping. She should probably take a warm bath before going to sleep, to wash the river water off her body and prevent any sickness from showing up.

Stupid Reborn, stupid water. The brunette cursed quietly as she went to close her window, for her room was starting to get chilly. Or was her body? As she did so, she looked at her reflection in the glass, noting how tired and pale she looked and how there were bags starting to form under her eyes. 

Beyond the glass, she also saw the world. It was moving on without her, and it was so, so bright it almost hurt to see it. 

" **_Pl--e̷… h̴e̷a̴r̷ me̷!”_ **

"Yup, definitely a cold" She shook her head with a heavy sigh and went downstairs to eat and take some medicine just in case. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

Despite taking precautions, she did gain a mild cold. 

Her head was throbbing and her throat felt itchy, and there was a slight heaviness in her body that begged for her to remain in bed all day. It was Saturday, so ended up doing just that for when her mother caught her taking some cold medicine after dinner, she immediately sent her to take a warm bath and to get some rest. 

Eventually, Dino ended up nursing her. Or tried to, for he dropped the teacup he was bringing her and spilt the miso soup when he tried to spoon-feed her. He was banned from helping after that. And it wasn’t like she couldn’t move, she just felt lazy and tired and didn’t have the energy to talk with people. 

Gokudera ate with them and didn't want to leave Tsuna’s side, but Bianchi shooed him out. Lambo also wanted to play with the brunette, but with the headache that was forming behind her eyes, she frightened him by jokingly saying that if he got near her for the day, he was going to catch her mortal disease that had no cure. That was enough to send him away for the rest of the afternoon.

And so she spent the whole day resting in bed, while Dino sat on the floor in his sleeping bag. They reminisced some memories from her stay in Italy with him, happy times as well as sad times. Reborn stayed for a while, but once Dino mentioned a pet cat that the brunette kept but died and made Tsuna almost cry, he went out of the room for a cup of espresso in the kitchen.

But so far, all he has managed to find out was pointless stuff such as tea parties in the summer vongola mansion -it was a mansion, even if Tsuna called it a house- charred blueberries pancakes and an art school the brunette used to attend on the afternoons. He doesn't know if she attended a primary school there, there was nothing on the records and apparently Nono didn't saw it fit to mention. Either there was a big cover-up or nothing important happened there.

Obviously something _did_ happen, if what the brunette and Dino claim was true. But if she was kidnapped, why hasn't anyone in the underworld knew about it? 

Vongola must have burned to the ground whoever took the girl, it's what mafia famiglias do when someone from theirs was taken away. In line for the throne or not, it was something that couldn't be covered up so easily. It makes him wonder... what exactly happened? 

He will have to ask Nono about it, once he has gathered more intel regarding the brunette.

Oblivious to the hitman's thoughts, Tsuna enjoyed her afternoon with Dino. He was, after all, her big overprotective brother, and she had missed him dearly. Even if there was a fatigue forming even in her bones, she really enjoyed being with Dino again. Despite his clumsiness, she loved his company and his tales about his life as a Mafia Boss. Last time she saw him, he was still a lanky high-schooler who got spooked so easily. 

It was admirable how far he has grown as a person, and a bit sad too... knowing that she missed all that. 

She wanted to make up for all the lost time, but ironically she wasn't sure if there was enough time in the present for that to happen. She could only treasure and cherish her 'right now' and wish for things to remain peaceful as they once were. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

Nighttime. 

Somehow, someway, she knew it was nighttime before her eyes opened and blinked at the darkness of her room. Groggily looking around, she was able to see Reborn's and Dino's sleeping forms in the hammock and the sleeping bag at the floor.

Frowning in confusion, she tried to clear the fog in her mind to recall what last happened. She didn’t remember falling asleep, the last thing in her thoughts was Dino telling her of an anecdote of a business trip he had in Greece and then suddenly, she was waking up in the dark. 

Though she quickly blamed it to the medicine, for her head was still pulsing and she felt as if there was something stuck in her throat. She didn’t want to cough and wake the people in her room, so she got out of bed slowly and tiptoed out of her room. Quietly, she went downstairs and entered the kitchen to grab a glass of warm milk. 

It was luck that their microwave didn’t make noise when you pressed on the numbers and before it could beep to signal the time had ended, she quickly pushed the button to stop before it altered the whole house. Adding a bit of honey, she sighed softly when the warm milk soothed her throat and wondered if this was going to be another sleepless night now that she has woken up. 

It really wasn’t healthy to wake in the middle of the night, although she has stopped dreaming with blood, the feeling of dread still haunted her past morning hours. 

She was thinking if perhaps she should go and see a specialist when the sudden coldness in her mouth made her shudder. She licked her lips, tasting the cold milk in them and frowned, it shouldn’t have been that long for the milk to turn cold when it was warm a couple of seconds ago. 

Frowning, she looked down at the glass in her hand, feeling her fingers tingle by the sudden chillness around them. Could her cold still be acting up? She could feel goosebumps crawling all over her skin the longer she remained standing there in the dark. 

**" _Why… c_ _a̴_ _n't you…h_ _e̷a̴_ _r m_ _e̷_ _…Tsun_ _a̴_ _…yuukî?"_**

With a gasp, she turned around to try and see the being that whispered behind her ear, but all she saw were shadows dancing on her eyes as the fast movement made her slip and fall to the ground, feeling a cold spike of pain spreading through her chest as the glass of milk shattered beside her. 

The last thing she saw was a small red light being consumed by darkness before her eyes snapped open with an intake of breath as her body jolted upwards and was met with yellow eyes on a green mallet looking back at her.

"Reborn…" She breathed out "What are you doing?"

"I was going to wake you up" Leon transformed back into his chameleon form and Reborn jumped out of her bed to walk out of her room "Hurry up, don't be late for school"

"School?" She rubbed her eyes and looked around in confusion, feeling strain in her shoulders by the violent waking. Because that what it was, right? She was dreaming and she was just waking up… right? 

"You slept for a whole day, Dame-Tsuna, now get moving" The hitman said as he closed her door, leaving a breathless and confused brunette behind.

_ What? _

What indeed.

**.**

**.**

**.**

After staring at her window for minutes, her mother’s call to hurry up snapped her back to reality and it made her get up from the bed and head towards the bathroom for a shower. It was still disconcerting, changing into her school uniform and trying to dry her hair with a towel as best as she could. The symptoms of a cold were nothing but a ghost sensation to her, so she felt like they were playing a big joke on her. 

But as she entered the kitchen, she spotted the calendar and confirmed that it was indeed Monday and she just lost a whole day without realizing it. 

“How are you feeling, Tsuna-chan?” Her mother asked as she handed her her bento, as well as a plate of french toast with blueberries and honey on top. 

“I’m fine” Her mother was spoiling her, but the dish was enough to lift her spirit immensely and all bad thoughts were forgotten. 

“Make sure you eat at lunch, okay? You skipped meals yesterday” 

Being reminded of that left a bitter taste in her mouth but she swallowed the spoonful of pancakes down and nodded at her mother to ease her worries. The only upside of her ‘training’ with Reborn is that he hasn’t messed up with her diet albeit that one time he put sleeping powder in her lunch. He doesn’t steal her meals like he does with Lambo, stating that she was too skinny and needed to fatten as soon as possible, much to her horror.

By the time Bianchi came downstairs, it was time for her to go so she grabbed her bag, kissed her mother on the cheek as a goodbye and went to the door to slip in her shoes. When she opened it, she was not surprised to see  Yamamoto and Gokudera waiting for her by the gate.

"Juudaime! Are you feeling better?" Gokudera asked when the brunette came out.

"Yo, Tsuna" Yamamoto waved.

"Morning guys" Tsuna smiled a little "Yeah, I'm better"

"Ne~ Baka-tsuna! Don't forget to bring Lambo-sama back some candy, I want grape flavoured candy!" Lambo came running out of the house and jumped around the brunette to grab her attention.

"Shut up stupid cow!" Gokudera tried to kick him away from her, but Lambo kept running away and sticking his tongue at him.

"I wasn't talking to you, Stupidera!"

"Ma, Ma~ you sure are loud this morning" Yamamoto laughed, making Gokudera scowl.

"Shut up!"

"Can we just go? We are going to be late" Tsuna said as she kicked Lmabo gently inside her house and closed the door before he could start throwing any grenades and walked towards the guys to start making their way to school. 

A few streets away, Dino was watching them walk away with Reborn perched on his shoulder.

"So that's the family you pick for her" 

"They were the ones who picked her" Reborn told him "She is like a magnet and seems to attract people to her. And once they get close, they won't let go."

"Well, either way," Dino narrowed his eyes "I need to test them and see if they are worthy to be my little sister’s guardians"

"You are welcome to try" Reborn smirked at that.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Yamamoto was telling them of his adventure of taking Haru’s home. Apparently, her father thought he was her boyfriend and threatened him with an umbrella because it was late and his daughter was dripping wet when she returned home. It took a lot of convincing from both parts that nothing funny had happened and that Yamamoto in fact rescued Haru from drawing. 

And after hearing that, he was invited to stay for dinner and he couldn’t exactly refuse once Haru’s mother pleaded for him to stay. It was a little awkward at first, but the family was really nice and cheerful so he had a good time. He also handed Tsuna a pink piece of paper containing Haru’s phone number, which the brunette idly tucked inside her school bag. 

It’s not like she didn’t want to be friends with the girl, without her own phone she couldn’t really contact the girl. What a shame, its what Tsuna told herself as she tucked her slightly wet hair into a messy bun. 

At her side, Gokudera was mocking Yamamoto, snidely commenting that both he and Haru were crazy people that they only endangered his Juudaime. Well, jokes on him, Tsuna thought grumpily when suddenly, a red Porsche appeared out of nowhere and snatched her inside. One moment she was walking, the next, she was in a very sporty car and being hugged by a laughing Dino. It was his voice and familiar scent of pine and lemon that stopped her from screaming and trying to punch the person holding her, she still managed to hit the blond in the face for scaring her though. 

"Dino what are you doing!?" Tsuna exclaimed before her face turned into one of pure horror "I'm going to be late for class! Oh my god, I can't be late again, he’s going to kill me this time!"

"Who?" Dino blinked.

The car did a circle around her house, and Tsuna stepped out as soon as it stopped to see Reborn waving at the backs of Gokudera and Yamamoto, who were running as fast as they could to wherever the hitman had sent them. 

“Reborn, what the hell?” 

"You better go and save your subordinates Dame-Tsuna," Reborn said innocently "They think you were kidnapped by the Momokyokai Famiglia. However, they are actually a real yakuza group” 

"What?!"

"What were you thinking, Reborn? I was just going to test their resolve in helping Tsuna, not their skills!" Dino exclaimed.

"Dino, get in the car or I'm leaving without you!" Tsuna yelled from inside the Porsche, already ordering Romario to drive. Dino quickly jumped into the car before it drove away, leaving a smirking and plotting Reborn behind.

Luckily, Romario had the address and it didn’t take long to arrive at the location. From the outside, it looked like a simple business office, but Tsuna has enough experience with the yakuza thanks to one Hibari Kyoya. 

She was prepared to see disaster and thugs all around, but as soon as they rushed in, she and Dino were surprised to see a group of yakuza on the floor with Yamamoto and Gokudera standing near and unscratched. 

Her sigh of relief made the boys notice her, and they rushed towards her to express their own relief at seeing her unharmed. But of course, things can never be simple. 

Some scary-looking men waltzed in, threatening them for breaking in and beating some members without any reason. Dino tried to solve the problem diplomatically, but it didn't work and it only riled them up. And then, of course, the yakuza boss walked in once he heard the commotion and when his eyes landed on Tsuna, he ignored all his fallen henchmen in favour of smirking at her. 

“Well aren’t ye a cutie” He slurred, making Tsuna shudder in disgust and for the guys around her to tense in a protective manner. “I’ll let y'all go if she stays”

She could hear Gokudera snarl and even Dino bristle at those words, but she had wasted enough time with this little ploy. 

"If I'm going to die at school, you will suffer too!" Tsuna hit the leader with her school bag in a swift movement, knocking him down. She wasn’t going to wait like a damsel in distress for Kyoya to arrive and bite them all to death. He was going to do that anyway, but if she could get some sweet revenge, then she was going to take it. 

The henchmen around them gaped at her action, but they were soon enraged by her and pounced towards her to avenge their fallen boss. But Gokudera and Yamamoto quickly stopped them and knocked them out. 

All the while, Dino was standing near, not interfering but prepared in case they needed help. But he was happy and proud to note how quick and protective the guys were over his little sister. They had good qualities to become guardians and their friendship from what little he has seen was really cute too, so they had his approval. 

It only took a few minutes for them to finish. Dino was going to congratulate them for passing the test, but was quickly threatened by the brunette, who was yelling at him to drive them to school before the demon came for her. It took a few curses, laughs, groans and driving past some red lights before the Porsche stopped at the entrance of their school, 3 minutes before the bell rang. 

"Why is everyone looking at us like that?" Gokudera tsked, not liking the attention they were receiving when they stepped out of the car.

"Probably because they want to hang out with us" Yamamoto grinned.

"I don't think that's why" Tsuna sighed tiredly. 

"Have a nice day, Tsuny-chan" Dino hugged her before she closed the door and the car drove off. 

Ignoring the whispers and nasty glares, the trio walked to their classroom just before the bell rang, making Tsuna cheer mentally for being in safe grounds. She has no doubt that Kyoya will find out about that little Yakuza mishap, but she was trying to push her luck. 

Mondays were usually boring days, so nothing interesting happened once they reached lunch period. Hana and Kyoko joined them in the classroom to eat and somehow found out about their trip to the river on the weekend. Yamamoto took it upon himself to retell what happened while Gokudera could do nothing more than to curse Haru for putting Tsuna's life in danger. Hana just gave the brunette a blank stare while Kyoko was extremely happy for the brunette making another friend, much to Tsuna's denial.

Just as lunch was about to end and they were packing their empty bentos, Tsuna suddenly dropped her bag with a little gasp when something inside moved. Under their watchful eyes, they saw something round with a shell slowly crawl out of her bag. 

"What is that?" Hana asked.

"Enzo?" Tsuna asked in confusion as she picked the turtle up and held it in her hands. 

"Is that a turtle? how cute" Kyoko smiled "Can I hold it?"

"Um...sure" Tsuna handed the turtle to Kyoko gently "Just please be careful, don't let it anywhere near with water"

"But it's a turtle! They need water"

"That is not a common turtle, is it?" Gokudera muttered to her, staring at the reptile with suspicion.

"Nop" Tsuna crossed her arms "She must have climbed into my bag when Dino hugged me"

What happened next was something so predictable it almost made Tsuna want to cry.

Somehow, water fell all over Enzo. Who was responsible or when it happened, she didn't want to now. What mattered now was getting the class out of the room before they were crushed by the growing turtle.

"What's happening!?" Asked a classmate when they heard a loud crash and a roar.

"We are under attack!" Exclaimed Yamamoto with a grin. How did he find this funny, Tsuna had no idea. Everyone started panicking when a green scaly arm came out from the door, followed by a roar.

"What is that? An alien?" Gokudera asked, dynamites already in his hand.

"Enzo" Tsuna whispered and turned to look towards her classmates "RUN!"

They didn't need to be told twice and everybody dashed away. People from other classrooms came out to see what the commotion was about, but once they saw the huge green monster destroying the school, they too ran away with Gokudera and Yamamoto leading them away from the falling debris while the brunette remained standing in front of the huge turtle alone.

"Oh my god. The school" Tsuna paled and grabbed her head in distress "I'm gonna die"

"Go save the day, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn appeared from his secret spot behind the wall and shot Tsuna in the head without warning her.

"Wait, n-no!" She screamed a bit too late and next thing she knew, she was in her black shorts and a grey sport-bra with an orange flame in her forehead with her mind focusing on just one thought. 

"Reborn! I shall slay the beast and stop her destruction before I’m bitten to death!"

Reborn watched with amusement how the brunette dealt with Enzo. She didn't punch or harmed the turtle, instead, she was pushing and leading Enzo out towards the schoolyard to keep her from destroying the school building any further. She wasted the bullet’s five minutes in doing just that, but at least there was no more destruction inside. Instead, the turtle changed targets and was ripping some trees from the ground. 

"Good turtle, remember the blueberries? I can give you more if you calm down" Tsuna backed away slowly as Enzo stomped towards her. Dino lied, he wasn’t fit to take care of a turtle - or any pet - for the matter. She was going to make him pay for this. 

"What are you doing?" A cold voice asked, making Tsuna jump in fright.

"Kyoya, I swear it wasn't my fault!" She cried to the prefect, who was leaning against the destroyed wall.

"Running around with indecent clothes… again, destroying school property, bringing pets to school and vandalizing the grounds" He raised his tonfa and glared at the brunette "I will bite you to death"

"Wait, I-I h-have a very good reason" Tsuna stuttered, flinching slightly when Enzo roared behind her.

"Do tell"

“Um… I was kidnapped this morning by Dino Cavallone, a Mafia Boss and pretty much my overprotective big brother as a ruse to test Gokudera and Yamamoto for whatever reason. And then they drove us to school and Dino hugged me as a goodbye but his pet turtle that can turn into Godzilla by touching water climbed into my bag and somehow it escaped and got near water. So it grew and to save the school, my hitman tutor shot me with his chameleon gun a special bullet that mysteriously gives me strength and burns my clothes" 

Tsuna took a breath and looked down at herself.

"Except for my underwear, I don't know why though" She looked up to see Hibari's unamused expression and sighed to herself as she accepted her fate "A-And that's the story"

"You call that underwear?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, stalking towards her with both of his tonfas and making Tsuna blush heavily.

"Kyoya-pervert!" She crossed her arms around her body and flinched. She didn't know what was worse, a hungry-looking Enzo or a predatory-looking Hibari. Cross that, Tsuna didn't need to choose.

"Ciaossu" The hitman finally decided to step in, sitting on Tsuna's head.

"Reborn! What are you doing here?!" Tsuna exclaimed.

"Making sure you aren't eaten" Reborn simply said, very well aware of the predatory glint in the turtle's and prefect's eyes.

"Whatever" Hibari huffed and dashed towards Enzo, who was about to destroy another tree.

"No, please don't hurt her," Tsuna begged, making Hibari stop and let Enzo eat the tree.

"So it is your fault" He glared at her, making Tsuna take a step back.

"W-What? No! I-I just protect animals" She raised a fist in the air "Go, animals rights!"

"…"

"Yeah, I should start running" She muttered and ran towards the opposite directions, being quickly followed by a very angry Hibari and a hungry Godzilla turtle.

"I'll bite you to death!" 

"Reborn, do something!" She exclaimed but was ignored. She yelped when a tonfa came flying her way and miraculously was able to dodge in time. And as she rounded the corner, she almost cried when she bumped into a worry-looking Dino. 

"Dino!"

"Tsuny-chan! Have you seen Enzo? I can't fin-What in the world are you wearing?! Cover up! There are wolves around!" He exclaimed and tossed his jacket at her, making her stumble by the added weight. "Reborn, what are you thinking?! Exposing my innocent little sister like that!"

"Dame-Tsuna needs to toughen up for when she becomes a mafia boss"

"By making her run around naked?" / "I'm not going to be Vongola Decimo!" They both exclaimed in outrage. 

"If I were you, I would shut up" The baby said with a smirk and stepped away from them.

"Oi" Dino turned to see a raven-haired boy who was glaring heavily at them, weapons at hand and a very angry Enzo behind him.

"Uh-oh" he muttered.

"It's his fault," Tsuna muttered darkly, managing to take off the jacket and pointing a finger towards Dino "Bite him, painfully and slowly"

"Wha?!" Dino exclaimed in horror when the raven-haired boy dashed towards him with killing intent.

"Do not tell me what to do, little animal" Hibari said before proceeding to bite Dino to death.

Tsuna huffed, somehow managing to put Dino's jacked so that she wasn't half-naked and looked at the still oversized Enzo and then at Reborn with pleading eyes. The hitman sighed and let Leon crawl towards the brunette. She then walked calmly towards Enzo, raising her hands to show no harm, and when the big turtle didn’t move, Tsuna sighed in relief. 

"Good girl" Tsuna said as she raised Leon, who knew what had to be done and had turned into a fan to dry the turtle. It didn’t take long, the sun beaming down on them helped speed the process and soon Tsuna watched in awe at how Enzo returned to her original size.  "You are quite the handful, Enzo" 

Tsuna picked up the turtle and scratched her head, but as soon as she let her guard down, a prickling sensation crawled down her spine and made her shiver.

"You are next, little animal" Was the only warning she got before a tonfa hit her in the head, making her drop the reptile and cry in pain.

"Wait, no!" She exclaimed in vain, for Hibari had no mercy.

Reborn grabbed both reptiles and cradled them towards him, leaving the place to talk to the director of the school about the attack of Enzo, his reasoning being that they were filming a movie about big reptiles destroying the city and his school was elected as a spot. He had no doubt that his lie will be believed, and that somehow his no-good-students will survive Hibari's wrath. 

Maybe. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

After a few minutes, Hibari finally walked away, leaving Tsuna and Dino lying bruised on the ground.

"I think I just died" Dino huffed, trying to breathe without something hurting.

"T-That's Kyoya for you"

"The bird carnivore you mentioned in letters?" Tsuna managed to nod, making Dino groan "Damn, I thought it was a real bird"

The brunette laughed weakly and looked at the sky above them. It was so big, so infinite. The sun shined brightly, burning the darkness and casting soft shadows around them, with just a few clouds lingering in the blue canvas. Oh, how she wished she could paint it. 

With a soft hum, she slowly raised her hand towards the sky, fingers stretching and curling slightly towards the sun, as if wanting to touch it, to hold it in her hand.

"I don't understand..." Dino whispered softly at her side "If you don't want to be the Decimo, then why did you accept Reborn's training? And don't say that it's a plan to become a hitman"

"At first I did think of that'' Tsuna sighed "That maybe, I could fool him, escape Vongola and become a hitman. But it would be really troublesome having the whole Mafia after me…"

"Tsuna" He called softly yet seriously.

"I really don't want to be Vongola Decimo" She told him, her hand clenching tightly over the sun.

"Then why?" Dino asked in confusion and sorrow at her predicament because he knew that she was trapped. “It’s not like you to do something you don’t want to. Why are you really doing this?” 

"Because I'm looking for someone..." She confessed in a whisper, her hand falling towards her chest "And this is the only way to find him"

They stayed in silence, each wrapped on their own thoughts. Dino wanted to ask more about what she meant but chose not to. It pained him that the brunette was not asking for his help and doing this on her own, things that could potentially hurt her.

As he pondered, he sat up and looked down at the brunette.  Despite his excitement at seeing her again, he was totally against the idea of her taking over a mafia famiglia. She was too young, too innocent, even when he entertained the idea of her becoming a hitman when she was little, he still didn't want her to see the dark side of the mafia. Maybe it was his overprotective side kicking in, but heaven be damned if he let her get hurt. 

Tsuna was a stubborn firecracker, once she got her mind set on something, it was hard to persuade her against it. So even if it hurt, he wasn’t going to force her to include him in whatever it was that she was planning, but he was going to be there for her and support her when things eventually fell into chaos. 

"Playing with fire will get you burned, Tsuna" He said with a bitter smile, knowing that no matter what, the brunette wouldn't go down without a fight.

"I know" She opened her eyes, unaware of the strange orange gleam they had in them, one that Dino blamed the sunlight for. 

They stayed there for a few more minutes, silently enjoying each other's company. Today was the last day Dino was staying at Namimori, for he needed to return to Italy and his duties as head of the Cavallone Family. And although they both wished the brunette could go with him, they knew it was impossible at the moment. 

"I-pin, found, bad guy!" Any thoughts of kidnappings and sneaking into a plane were gone when a little figure appeared in front of them.

"Ah, it's you" Tsuna sat up and smiled at the little girl she helped before running into Haru. Dino, however, wasn't all that pleasant to see her.

"That's the bomb kid that attacked me!" He yelled in horror and with newfound strengths, he stood up to dodge the incoming attacks from the little girl.

“No, run!" The little girl followed Dino, who was screaming for help and trying not to get hit.

"I'm not sacrificing myself for you again" Tsuna stood up and walked towards the lockers so that she could change into her spare uniform "Good luck, Dino"

"Tsuny-chan, don't leave me with this baby!" Dino exclaimed before tripping.

"She is a girl!" Tsuna exclaimed before heading inside, still wrapped in Dino's jacket and enjoying the warmth it brought. She was met with Gokudera, Yamamoto, Kyoko and Hana waiting for her in front of her locker. She wouldn’t put it past Reborn to keep them here instead of helping her, and by Gokudera’s anxious expression it let her know that was the case. 

She smiled at them to ease their worries and was about to remove the oversized jacket before she was reminded of her state and who was around her. But that second slip was enough for Hana to see her half-naked beaten body and nothing could have prepared her for the scolding of self-preservation and decency the raven-haired girl gave her. 

Tsuna could only nod in fright and lean towards Kyoko for a safe space when not even Yamamoto could calm Hana down. 

Lesson of the day, don't take girls lightly.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!   
> Tsuna is hearing voices. And who's the mysterious person she's looking for? You will have to keep reading to find out~


	6. Just keep swimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy the chapter!

**.**

**.**

**.**

Having a Mafia Boss on his knees before you was like a dream to any other Mafia associate. Having such authority crying and pleading was a great satisfaction, even for Tsuna. But to have the aforementioned mafia boss bawling his eyes out while hugging her legs for the past 20 minutes was starting to annoy her.

"I don't want to go! Tsunaaa!" Dino exclaimed as he tightened his grip on the brunette's legs.

"What a cry baby" Lambo murmured in boredom as he shook his head at the display, before walking towards the kitchen to steal Tsuna's breakfast.

"Dino, let go! You have to go" Tsuna tried to prey his hands off from her but to no avail.

"I don't know when I'll be back. I missed you so much, I can't stand being away from you again!"

"You survived six years, you can survive another month" Reborn said calmly while sipping a cup of espresso, clearly ignoring the drama before him.

"No!" Dino exclaimed in horror, making Tsuna sigh.

"Dino" She patted the top of his head "I'm going to miss you too. But let's face it, we are not kids anymore, we both have responsibilities now. You're a mafia boss, your famiglia needs you" With a bit of effort, she finally managed to push him away from his grip and just by looking into his watery eyes made her smile. "And it's not like we are going to lose contact"

"Tsuny-chan" Dino stood up and looked down at her with tears in his eyes.

"I refuse to let someone walk away from me…" She whispered, making Dino smile softly and to gather her into his arms, his head resting on top of hers as he hugged her.

"Last time, you were the one crying in my arms..." He muttered in nostalgia, remembering her last day in Italy, all the pain and sadness it brought only made him tighten his embrace in fear of living through it again.

"You were also crying" The brunette reminded him in a muffled voice by the way her face was squeezed into his shoulder. 

"Be a good girl while I'm gone, okay?"

"When am I not? Besides, with Reborn around, what could go wrong?" At her statement, Dino released her to give her an incredulous look which made her grimace "Don't answer that"

She has heard enough stories of his time under the tutelage of the baby hitman to know what awaited her. When she was little, she thought that his stories were exaggerated and a ruse to taint her image of the hitman. She wanted to be his apprentice too, she used to say and Dino would only cry and cry and tried to shield her from that. 

But now there was no going back, and Dino could only wish her good luck on surviving the devilish tutor. 

"Ara, Dino-kun's leaving already" Nana appeared from the kitchen drying her hands with a towel and walking towards them.

"Yes, thank you for letting me stay, Sawada-san" Dino bowed in gratitude.

"It's fine Dino-kun, you are welcome here anytime" Nana smiled at him "Have a safe trip"

"Boss, it's time" Romario told him from the doorframe.

"Alright" Dino sighed and went to search for something inside his bag. Once he found it, he took out a package and handed it to Tsuna. "Here"

"What's this?" Tsuna took the parcel with curiosity. 

"It's a small present" He winked at her. And just as Tsuna was going to open it, she was wrapped in another tight hug with a sobbing blond. "I'm going to miss you so much!"

"Dino, you have to go!" 

"Tsuuunaaa!"

Nana giggled to herself at the display and went back to the kitchen to finish breakfast, Reborn, on the other hand, sighed in annoyance.

"Good grief" He jumped and knocked Dino out with a strong kick in the head "Mafia bosses don't cry useless-Dino"

"Boss!" Romario caught the blond before he hit the ground. With a sigh, he lifted his boss on his back so that he could carry him outside and into a waiting car. "I apologize for the trouble. Farewell Sawada-san, Reborn-san" He told the duo who had followed them out. 

"Bye…" Tsuna whispered as she watched the car drive away.

"You're late for school, Dame-Tsuna. Let's go" Reborn told her as he jumped on top of her head. She was becoming his personal driver, it seems.

With a sigh, Tsuna went back inside to say goodbye to her mother and put the package Dino gave her in her room to open it after she returned from school. She made sure to hide it under the pillows in case Lambo came snooping in and ignored Reborn’s comment at her beginner-like-stealthiness.

She almost fell into the trap of asking for his advice on how to hide things better, but she was wise to keep her mouth shut in case the hitman got any ideas. Going downstairs, she put on her shoes and grabbed her bag before opening the door. 

"Mom, I'm leaving"

"Have a nice day!" Nana poked her head from the kitchen, giving her a smile. 

"Bring candies!" Lambo's voice shouted even after she had closed the door. Shaking her head, she walked to school in silence with Reborn. 

She had to admit, she was a bit sad by Dino leaving so soon, but she knew that it wouldn't be forever for them to meet again. It took a while to get in contact with him, for she was still a child and didn’t have a personal phone at that time. But Nana was so kind and awesome, she kept Dino’s phone number and let the brunette talk to him every once in a while until she finally bought her own cell phone. 

He was always a worrywart, but now that she was on a -forced- path towards becoming a Mafia Boss, she was sure he would call her every day just to know how she was doing. 

"Good morning, Juudaime" Gokudera's voice broke her thoughts as she neared the school and looked up to see the silver-haired boy waiting for her by the gates.

"Morning" She smiled at him.

"Have you got any plans for today?" Gokudera asked her as they made their way to their class. "Perhaps we could go to the bookstore, new books arrived and they are giving a discount, get two books for the price of one"

"Sure, that sounds good" Tsuna said with a nod, but of course, Reborn had to ruin her plans.

"That can't do. We are going to the pool" He said calmly, not minding how the brunette's body tensed.

"You are a devil! I told you I can't swim" Tsuna cried with alarm, her eyes going wide in fear of drowning by the hands of Reborn. Because let's face it, how else was he going to teach her how to swim?

"You will swim one way or another," He told her as if reading her mind "You never know when someone will throw you to the ocean and your only way of survival will be to swim towards a faraway island"

"I'm going to die" She murmured in horror in her hands. Reborn smirked at her misery and jumped through an open window, not that the brunette paid any attention, she was too busy trying to come up with an excuse to stay late at school. 

"I'll teach you too, Juudaime! Don't worry, I won't let you drown" Gokudera reassured her and Tsuna nodded in resignment, accepting her fate.

"Let's go to the bookstore before going to the pool, I have the feeling I will need one in the afterlife" She said as they entered their classroom and then proceeded to slump down on her desk, gaining curious looks from Kyoko and Yamamoto. 

“Yes" Gokudera saluted, happy that he could spend some time with his Juudaime.

The day went by and even though it was boring and slow-paced, school was over before Tsuna could even try to escape, not even hiding behind Yamamoto’s tall figure helped. She was held at gunpoint by Reborn and he even threatened Gokudera on not helping her. The poor boy was so conflicted, but in the end, he relented and followed the hitman’s orders while apologizing nonstop to the brunette. But it was fine, it's not like Tsuna could really blame him, no one could say no to Reborn.

It didn’t stop her from crying in despair all the way to the bookstore though. Gokudera did his best to cheer her up and tried to convince her that everything was going to be fine and that she would end up swimming in a way that will make even dolphins jealous. It made her laugh at his poor attempts to cheer her up. 

They spent an hour or so there, at first it was silent between them when they were choosing their own books, but once they realized they were looking at the same section, they didn't stop gushing about their favourite stories, characters and authors until the manager of the store came to shush them. 

So caught up in their bubble, they didn’t realize there was a book signing event of a poet that was very popular among old ladies, and many of them were giving them annoyed looks and calling them hooligans in hushed tones. With controlled faces, they quietly went to the cash desk, paid for their books and once they were outside, they burst out laughing at the embarrassing situation. Well, it was mostly Tsuna laughing and Gokudera smiling at her bright expression.

It's been a while since Tsuna last talked with someone that shared her same interest. Hanging out with Kyoko was fun and all, but their likes were polar opposites and although they never misjudged one another, it could be a bit lonely having no one to share it with. So knowing that Gokudera was an alien nerd fanatic who enjoyed sci-fi movies, mysteries series and shōnen anime were nice. 

For a moment, Tsuna forgot all thoughts of swimming and drowning as they talked and joked on their way to her house. She was listening in amusement at Gokudera gush about a conspiracy theory involving robotic animals acting as spies for the government, that it was only when they were standing in front of her house did she remember her approaching doom.

With a sigh of resignation, they parted ways. The boy needed to go to his apartment and change and he promised that he will meet her at the local pool in two hours so, with a wave, she went inside her house with her head down. 

"I'm home" She muttered as she removed her shoes and lined them at the entrance.

"Baka-tsuna!" Lambo appeared from the living room and tackled her in a surprise hug.

"Lambo!" Tsuna almost lost her footing at the sudden attack, but she managed to catch the hyperactive boy and lean into the wall before she could fall to the ground.

"Look, look! It's Lambo-sama's greatest masterpiece!" Lambo showed her a piece of paper that he was holding, his eyes shining in excitement and expecting at her reaction. Tsuna shifted the kid in her arms to take a better look of what it was, and once she did, she smiled.

It was a childish drawing of her house with what seemed to be Nana, Tsuna, Bianchi and Lambo standing by the gates. And she could also see a black spot in the corner; a tiny figure with a badly drawn hat lying on the ground, and Tsuna could only curl her lips in amusement at the portrait of Reborn in Lambo's drawing because he had included red dots around him, which only meant one thing.

"This is great Lambo" Tsuna told the boy in her arms "Good job"

"Lambo-sama can draw just like Baka-tsuna" Lambo gloated, but the smile of accomplishment on his face meant that he was happy.

"Let's put it here then" Tsuna walked into the kitchen and stuck the drawing in the fridge with a pineapple magnet they got at the supermarket. Nana, who was cutting some coupons at the table, looked at them and smiled.

"Now go and pick up my crayons" Tsuna told the kid with a glare as she set him down, knowing full well that he used her colours and made a mess to draw his picture "And if one of them is missing…"

"It won't!" Lambo shouted and ran out of the room.

"How nice, I remember covering the entire fridge with all of your drawings, Tsuna-chan" Nana giggled with a teasing tone "And the walls on the living room and the bedroom..."

"Mom!" Tsuna pouted with a little blush, making Nana laugh. Grumbling, the younger brunette filled a glass with water and went to sit next to her mother. 

"Say, dear, won't you paint me something? It's been a while since you last did" Nana said as she finished piling the coupons. Bianchi and Reborn weren't home and Lambo had already eaten lunch, so it was just the two of them at the moment. And the moment of tranquillity was welcomed.

"Maybe, I have a few ideas." And it was true; she has been craving for some time alone with her paints and a white clean canvas. She wondered if she finished her homework early this weekend, maybe Reborn wouldn't bother her much to indulge in her art. One can only hope with a hitman living in your bedroom. 

"Reborn-kun told me you were going to the swimming pool" Her mother’s voice broke her thoughts. 

"He did?" Tsuna grimaced at that. 

"I think it's a great idea" Nana told her in a cheerful voice "You never wanted to take swimming classes and it's really nice that Reborn-kun is offering his help to teach you"

"Yeah, but... I don't know" Tsuna messed with her hair to hide her nerves  _ " _ It's not that I'm scared of the water, just…"  _ I'm pretty sure Reborn will let me drown as part of my learning. _

"Nervous?" Nana smiled and patted the brunette's head.

"Yes" Tsuna groaned.

"It's okay to be nervous dear, everyone is at some point in their lives, but wouldn't it be exciting to overcome your fears?" Tsuna bit her lip at those words and Nana, somehow knowing what her daughter was thinking, smiled. "I know it’s scary, but you don't have to do it on your own. That's why Reborn-kun, Lambo-kun and I will go to cheer on you"

"Thanks, mom" She smiled, grateful at her mother's infinite support. 

One look at the clock let her know that the time to leave was approaching fast and that it was best that she changed her clothes and packed a bag of necessities instead of leaving it for the last minute. It will also keep her mind busy on any impending doom. 

"I better get ready" 

“I will bring the sunblock, so don’t worry about that” She nodded at her mother and made her way upstairs towards her room, not before peeking into the living room to make sure Lambo wasn’t destroying her crayons. 

"Do I even own a swimsuit?" She asked herself as she searched in her wardrobe and drawers. To her dismay, she didn't. This was already a spelling disaster, but no matter, she will have to do with what she got. Which was the school’s one-piece swimsuit used exclusively for school trips and sports festivals. Tsuna really didn't want to wear that, but it was better than a bikini that Bianchi will certainly try to make her wear instead.

Shuddering at that though, she quickly changed and put some denim shorts and white shirt over the swimsuit before falling into her bed, groaning. As she turned her head, she saw the package Dino gave her in the morning so, with curiosity, she sat up and smiled brightly when she opened it. 

"Aw, it's a Dino-mini-jacket!" She examined the dark brown, almost reddish jacket with beige fur on the hood. It was really cute. 

She scrambled out of bed excitedly and stood in front of her mirror to see how it looked on her. It was her size, which made her wonder how Dino knew, but she quickly dismissed the thought and continued to examine the jacket. It reached just over her thighs, had two pockets and a zipper. She twirled and giggled, already loving it and the warm cosy feeling it brought.

It was a good thing that spring brings heavy rains, that way she could use it as soon as possible.

And as she stared at herself in the mirror, there was a feeling of disconcerting brewing in her chest at the image being reflected. The jacket could hide her entire body, yet she could still see the lean muscles forming on her legs and arms, the hidden bruises in her ribs and back and the way her shoulders tensed by a heavy invisible weight. Gone were the peaceful days of doing nothing but sleep and go to school.

Her life was changing too fast, and little by little, so was she. And the sad thing was that she couldn't say if it was for the better or not.

Her eyes trailed lower, away from the dark bags starting to form under her eyes and at the little star pendant hanging on her neck. Her mother gave it to her as a late present for her eight birthday, one week after the whole Italy fiasco and after moving back to Japan. It was a heartfelt attempt to cheer her up, as well as a silent promise that things will get better.

She used to hold onto it at nights, wishing really hard for things to go back to the way they were, for her heart to stop hurting, for her mother to smile again. Those were dark times they faced, and the source of light at that time was small. But Tsuna held onto that little hope. Stars were small and fragile, lighting the dark sky with their past brightness to create paths to the future. They are able to shine and light their way into the darkness, it was a beacon that she held onto on the lonely nights before the sunrise came and woke her up.

There were no more stars to wish upon. The Mafia was here, and one way or another it was going to change her entire life, and maybe not for the better. Maybe it was time to let it go, those innocent dreams. Her innocence and childhood were long gone, and all that was left was the shadows around her world. There was no star magic to help her, there was no way to escape her fate because the path she was going to walk was going to be a blackhole where not even the starlights could shine.

With a bitter smile at her own thoughts, she removed the necklace carefully and placed it on a little box to be stored inside one of her drawers. No, she wasn't giving up on that little hope, she told herself, she just didn't want to lose it. 

A few days ago she was training in the mountains and accidentally plummeted into a river, today she was going to swim in the local pool and tomorrow who knew what awaited her. Her caution on not wanting to lose such precious memento was justifiable.

With a deep sigh, she also removed the jacket and hung it in her closet. The time will come to wear it, but for now, she needs to start getting ready. Grabbing a purple bag, she started tossing and filling it with essential things such as a towel, a change of clothes and some sandals. And of course, she couldn't forget to pack the only swimming ring they owned along with some arm floaties. 

Just staring at them made her want to cringe. Why they had them when neither her mother nor her went to the beach or the pool was a mystery, but she was grateful because right now, they were her only life saviours.

Yep, she was going to die.

Groaning, she fell back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. For once, the house was so quiet it made her doze off for a while. Really, her house looked more like a hotel for runaway mafia associates, she wouldn't be surprised if another person starts living with them soon; somehow she could almost see that coming. The peacefulness was so strange nowadays, and after such a boring day at school, she succumbed into slumber, that is, until her mother's voice called her.

"Tsuna-chan, we'd be leaving in five minutes" Nana's voice said from downstairs, snapping her awake.

"Hai!" So fast? She pouted as she stretched, wanting to sleep some more. It was barely an hour but only felt like minutes. 

Grabbing her stuff, she went downstairs to meet the others. Lambo was running around, being excited to go to the pool and yelling how awesome he was at swimming. Tsuna tried not to feel depressed that a five-year-old knew how to swim when she didn’t. 

“Bianchi’s not coming?” She asked, noting the missing presence of the woman. 

“She was doing some freelancing work! She was sad she couldn't come, maybe next time” Nana said from somewhere in the house.

“Yeah...Lucky” Tsuna mentally cheered because she didn’t want to deal with Bianchi + a pool and any bikinis involved. 

"I just need to find the camera" 

"It's okay, I'll wait outside!" 

She closed the door and went to lean against the gate of her house, all the while glaring at the sun. It was still spring, but the weather today was surprisingly warm, a perfect day to go to the pool she supposed. Better use tons of sunblock or she would end up getting toasted. Sighing - and she was doing that a lot this day - she waited for her mother to finish packing when quiet footsteps grabbed her attention. 

She turned to her right only to see Kyoya crossing the street. Without a second thought, she ran to catch up with him.

"Hey" She called, making him stop and turn to look at her. "Why are you patrolling around here? Is something wrong?"

"Just some stupid herbivore" Hibari grumbled as he crossed his arms and his eyes instantly fell on the yellow swimming ring the brunette was carrying.

"I'm going to learn how to swim," Tsuna answered his unasked question.

"So you can keep saving cats?"

"If the situation depends on it!" Tsuna said and hit the prefect with her yellow floater "Don't make fun of me, you were going to do the same thing!"

"Yes, but unlike you, little animal, I did know how to swim" Hibari smirked when the brunette glared -more like pouted- at him. 

He couldn't help but mock the brunette. Five years ago, little Tsuna saved a kitten from drowning in a river, but alas, she didn't know how to swim. Thus, Hibari ended up saving the brunette and the cat. And that's how they met!

"I will learn how to swim, you'll see" Tsuna scowled before biting her lip "Just wish me luck…"

"Hn" Hibari looked at the brunette and narrowed his gaze "You are not wearing a bikini, right?"

"No!" She blushed and hit the prefect with the floater again "What's up with people and bikinis!"

Hibari was going to say something but was interrupted by a loud voice from behind the brunette.

"Tsuna-san!" They turned to see a smiling girl with a ponytail running towards them.

"Eh? Haru?" Tsuna blinked, recognizing the girl. And her eyebrow twitched slightly when she saw the things she was carrying. Stuff you would bring to the beach or the pool, stuff that she was also carrying in her own bag. Tsuna smelled something fishy, and that fish was named Reborn. She was cursing the hitman, so she didn’t react fast enough when the other girl threw her arms around her neck and hugged her tightly. 

"You are okay! I'm so glad" Haru said "I wanted to apologize for almost drowning you last weekend, and as the best friend I am, I swear I will teach you how to survive in the water!"

Tsuna blinked at the proclamation and then looked at Kyoya. "See? I really need good luck"

"Don't die in public spaces" With that said, he turned and walked away.

"Gee, thanks" She murmured as she watched him go, and pushed Haru gently away from her when it got uncomfortable.

"Hahi, what a scary looking man!" Haru cried as she watched Hibari walk away, obviously having heard his parting words towards the brunette, but her eyes suddenly gained a certain spark. "Ne, Tsuna-san, is he your-

"Ara, another friend of yours, Tsu-chan?" The soft voice of her mother interrupted what Haru was going to say, and both girls turned to see Nana walking with Lambo towards them.

"Good evening Sawada-san, my name is Miura Haru" Haru bowed.

"Nice to meet you Haru-chan" Nana smiled delightedly that her daughter had another new friend, and that it was a girl! "Are you coming with us to the pool?"

"Yes! Thank you for having me"

Tsuna sighed dejectedly, knowing there was no way to break free and started to walk. Not one minute later, Lambo was at her feet with his arms raised towards her.

"Baka-Tsuna, carry me" He said.

"What are you, a kid?" Tsuna raised an eyebrow.

"Yes" He responded boldly, making Tsuna sigh, again. How many had it been? She already lost count. She picked Lambo in her arms, who laughed happily and walked faster to catch up with Haru and her mother. The girl was telling Nana how she met Tsuna, how grateful she was that she saved her despite the miscommunication they previously had. And through it all, her mother wouldn't stop smiling.

After 15 minutes of walking and listening to Haru's endless talk about the power of friendship, they finally arrived at the public pool. First thing Tsuna did was drop Lambo from her arms, not thinking if he got hurt but the little boy was so excited he actually managed to land on his feet before running inside the building.

Tsuna groaned when she felt her circulation rushing back into her arms. Carrying a five-year-old boy plus her bag and a swimming ring was enough to numb her limbs. And Reborn better not find out, otherwise, he would make her do weightlifting. 

"Tsuna-san, this way!" Haru called her and Tsuna could only nod and follow. What were the odds of getting caught if she escapes right now?

"You are late, dame-Tsuna" A familiar weight appeared on her head, and Tsuna internally cried. Zero. Her chances were minus zero.

"I didn't want to come" She murmured and followed Haru as she walked towards the picnic table where her mother was setting things up.

"It was good that you did" The threat was left unsaid, making her shudder. 

The hitman jumped into the table as Tsuna placed her bag on the wooden surface and greeted her mother. It didn't take long before both Haru and Tsuna were in their respective swimsuits, a bikini for Haru and the school’s one-piece for Tsuna. And she was trying really hard not to blush at the curious stares she was getting from everyone. 

But it’s not like there wasn't much to see, just a skinny girl in a school swimsuit, with a yellow swimming ring around her waist and pink floaties with smiley faces on her arms.

"I…want to die…" She murmured in embarrassment, ignoring Reborn’s smirk at her misfortune. 

"Juudaime!" Tsuna turned to see Gokudera walking fast towards her - because you don't run around the pool - and behind him, there was a familiar baseball player carrying a cooler.

"Yo, Tsuna" Yamamoto grinned as he set the cooler on the table, "The kid told me you were coming to the pool, so I brought some sushi"

"Ara, another friend of Tsu-chan?" Nana smiled in delight.

"Mom, this is Yamamoto Takeshi and Gokudera Hayato" Tsuna introduced the two boys to her mother, knowing that that smile meant that she wanted to know their names "They are my classmates"

"Nice to meet you, Sawada-san"

"The pleasure is mine, boys" Nana giggled and then turned to Yamamoto "Thank you for the food, that's so kind of you"

"Haha, no problem" Yamamoto rubbed his neck.

"Food!" Lambo cried and went to grab some, but Nana stopped him.

"Lambo-kun! You can't eat if you are going to the pool!" Nana scolded him gently, making the boy pout.

"Anyway, Tsuna, what's with the kids' floaters?" Yamamoto asked with curiosity as he tugged one of them.

"Not a word" She muttered as she glared at the pool. 

"Oh~" A sharp glint flashed on his eyes as he smirked at her "Are you scared of the water?"

*SPLASH*

"Hmp, serve you right for making fun of Juudaime" Gokudera crossed his arms and smirked, satisfied that the baseball idiot ended up in the water after being thrown by his Juudaime.

Tsuna pouted when Yamamoto came out from the pool, laughing and apologizing to her. It made the Italian bomber scold him and for Haru to yell at them too. Her life depends on these three and Reborn...Tsuna knew it wasn't going to end well.

"Mom, you can take Lambo to the kid's pool" She suggested, not wanting her mother to worry over her as she failed to learn how to swim. But at her words, Nana became instantly worried. 

"Will you be alright, dear? I don't want to leave you alone like this" She knew what her daughter was thinking, she knew she would rather face the strife alone than to disappoint her in case she failed. It was a coping mechanism she had developed, even if Nana had never once in her life been disappointed in her daughter.

"I'll be fine" Tsuna smiled to ease her worries "Really, it's okay" 

As a parent, it hurt not being able to help your kid. To see them struggle and not ask for your help. It really hurt. But as a mother, she had long since learned to give her daughter space while still supporting her all the same. It probably wasn't the best choice to other people, but no one really knows how to parent. She was trying her best, just like Tsuna was. And right now, the less stress she puts on her daughter, the better. The only thing that relieved her was that Tsuna wasn’t going to be alone. 

Looking around, there were people here who have come to help, who have come to support her; these people were her friends. And knowing that made her incredibly happy. 

"Be careful, okay?" She kissed her daughter's forehead as if gifting her a lucky charm for her adventure. 

"Yeah" Tsuna blushed a little at her mother's affections and watched her leave with Lambo, who was whining that he didn’t want to go to the kiddies pool, even though that was the only place he was allowed to go.

"Okay, the 'let's-teach-Dame-Tsuna-how-not-to-drown' plan starts now" Reborn announced.

"Hey!" 

"I'll go first!" Yamamoto announced happily, waving his hand in the air as if he was still in class.

"No way! You’re not worthy!" Gokudera growled as he pushed him back.

"Ma, Ma, it's okay" Yamamoto waved his hand lazily and turned to look at the brunette "Right Tsuna?"

"R-Right" She just wanted to get this over with.

"Tch" Gokudera crossed his arms, not daring to argue with his Juudaime's decision, but that didn't mean he liked the baseball idiot being the first to take charge. "Fine, I'll be second. After you fail" He grumbled and glared at the other boy, who smiled back at him.

"It's like watching two boys fighting for you, Tsuna-san" Haru whispered to the brunette who in turn, sighed at their antics. Haru giggled and there was excitement in her eyes as she grinned. "Of course, they will fail pathetically and only I, Haru, will succeed. I will wait my turn, so in the meantime hang in there, Tsuna-san"

At that, Tsuna face-palmed. Really, these three.

"First thing first, get in the water, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn ordered, making Tsuna gulp. She walked cautiously towards the edge of the pool and dipped her foot on the water. She shivered; it was cold! She was going to take a step back, but he hitman’s voice stopped her "Now"

"I'm going, I'm going" She groaned, and slowly, and so very carefully, she got into the shallow part of the pool, followed closely by Yamamoto.

"O-Okay. Then?" She rubbed her arms to warm herself.

"Then, we pop the lifesaver"

"What!?" She shouldn't have asked! Next thing she knew, her yellow float exploded around her waist and she started waving her arms wildly while trying to stay standing, but in her wailing, her foot slipped and down the water she went. 

"Whoa there" Yamamoto grabbed her and dragged her up to a standing position. "I got you" Tsuna coughed roughly the water she accidentally swallowed and held his shoulders tightly to keep her steady.

"T-Thanks" She panted and looked up, only to blush slightly at the close proximity between them. It didn't help the fact that Yamamoto was holding her waist to prevent her from slipping again. 

"It's okay" He smiled, and that didn't help with the situation.

"Don't you dare flirt with Juudaime, you bastard!" Gokudera glared at him with the intensity of a thousand suns.

"Keep going, Keep going" Haru waved her hand, impatient for her turn.

"Okay, let's give swimming a try. In this area, you can reach the bottom if you stand, so you won’t drown. And if you fall, I will save you, okay?"

"O-Okay" Tsuna pushed Yamamoto away from her and looked down at the water reaching past her chest. Well, at least she still has the smiley floaties in her arms.

"So..." The baseball ace rubbed his neck "Let's start with your breathing"

"I have to breathe?" Tsuna asked in confusion.

"First you take this position," Yamamoto showed the brunette how to place her arms and once she imitated him, he continued. "Then, you start swinging your arms one after the other like this and then you go like mhp-gwaa, mph-gwaa! Like that"

"Mmm-gha?" She tried to imitate the breath-like pattern he made, but deep down she found it ridiculous and embarrassing.

"No. It's mhp-gwaa" Yamamoto corrected her "Remember that, and you'll be swimming before you know it! Now, you try!"

“Um...w-wait, don’t go!” Tsuna screamed as she felt Yamamoto move backwards to give her space. To swim, she will have to be submerged head to toe in the water, something she has never done and was scared to do. 

“I don’t know how to float!” 

“Every human can float, Tsuna-san!” 

“Am I human?!” 

“It’s okay, just raise your legs up, your floaties will keep you balanced” Yamamoto told her, hovering near her in case she struggles. 

Tsuna gulped, putting her whole trust in the floaties in her arms to keep her afloat. It probably took her two minutes to stand on her toes and even more so to finally let go. But the moment she stopped touching the floor, her body leaned forward, making her panic and swallow a mouthful of water as she crashed face down. 

The nerves prevented her from realizing she wasn’t actually sinking, but despite the yells of encouragement slipping through her mind, too busy trying to move her arms and kick the water in an attempt to swim or grab something, but she wasn't moving an inch, just creating a huge splash around her. She even tried breathing as Yamamoto told her, but it was useless. The fear of swallowing more water prevented her from even taking a breath. 

She didn't know how it happened, but by some miracle, she managed to grab hold of an inflatable airbed drifting by.

"Safe" She panted as she gripped the plastic tightly and managed to stand up, but just as she was about to pull herself up a dangerous feeling stopped her. Slowly, she looked up and flinched when she met Reborn's black eyes.

"A lion, to strengthen his cub, will push it down a cliff"

"Eh?" Tsuna was too late to react when Reborn kicked her in the head, making her lose her grip in the airbed and finding herself underwater once more; flailing her arms and splashing while trying to swim to the surface. And when she did, she coughed harshly and glared at the baby hitman with flare indignation. 

"And when the cub climbs back up..." Reborn smirked "Kick it down again!"

Tsuna cried when she was forced into the water once more, only that this time she was more prepared and all she did was kick the pool’s floor to jump to the surface. 

"Reborn! Do you want to kill me!?" She yelled at him. Panting and stretching her neck so that no more water could touch her face as Yamamoto finally took pity on her, and was pulling her gently towards a more shallow area. 

"The Mafia always lives on the edge of life and death, Dame-Tsuna, be ready for anything" He told her wisely, at which Tsuna ignored with a scoff and finally pulled herself out of the pool with the help of Haru and Gokudera, who were waiting for her at the edge. 

"I thought it would work. Something must have gone wrong." The baseball ace said in disappointment at himself. 

"Idiot" Gokudera muttered. 

"Yes" Haru sighed, wrapping a towel to the now shivering brunette. 

"But this is how my father taught me" Yamamoto told them as if to justify his method.

"Step aside, idiot. Your turn is over" Gokudera pushed Yamamoto away from his Juudaime.

Tsuna didn’t want to go back to the water, so the moment she saw the Italian bomber rolling a white blackboard she sighed in relief. Although she did have to wonder what the hell he was up to. Her question was soon answered when Gokudera coughed to grab their attention and slipped in some glasses. 

"Listen well Juudaime, the key to swimming is balance. To swim properly, having one's centre balances between gravity and buoyancy is the key" The bomber explained seriously while he started to draw a person swimming and complicated formulas surrounding it. "Buoyancy B works against Gravity A" He pointed towards the drawing "One's centre of gravity is in..."

_ "Oh my god, he’s a nerd!"  _ She cried internally, not understanding a word of what he was explaining. And by Haru’s and Yamamoto’s confused expression, she was glad she wasn’t the only one. 

"Got it?" He finished and waited for Tsuna's approval.

"G-Gokudera-kun…" She looked at him a blank stare "You…You are so smart, I can’t keep up to your knowledge"

"It's okay, let's just start again" He said animatedly, happy at his Juudaime's declaration.

"We're at the pool. Wouldn't it be quicker if she just practiced instead of reading the theory?" Yamamoto asked with his arms crossed behind his head.

"You are an idiot, how can you practice if you don't know what you must do?!" Gokudera snapped at him.

“You just breathe and swing your arms!” 

“It’s more than that!” 

"Boys" Haru sighed.

"SAWADA!"

Tsuna jumped when her name was called. They all turned at the sound of the yell and saw no other than Ryohei wearing nothing but a speedo and standing at the top of the fence behind them.

"Do no fear! Sasagawa Ryohei, Namimori Rumblefish is here to the rescue!" He proclaimed loudly, making them all cringe in second-hand embarrassment as people were starting to stare. And it got worse when after a minute, the boxer didn’t come down from the fence but instead, seemed to be preparing himself to jump. 

“He isn't going to do it, right?" Gokudera deadpanned.

"Yes, yes he is" Yamamoto nodded.

Without any warning, they all watched in shock as Ryohei jumped from the fence, flew over them and descended face down towards the water. They all winced when he landed, grimacing at the pain that landing must have caused. Hopelessly, they could only wait for Ryoehi to come out, but when a minute went by and there were no signs of the boxer, they looked at each other in confusion before moving towards the edge of the pool to see if Ryohei was okay. 

And he was. He wasn’t drowning nor in pain, he was actually swimming, or was he? 

"W-What?" Haru gasped.

"I'm sure that's not how you do it" Yamamoto rubbed his neck.

"What is that thing?" Gokudera yelled in horror, while some kids passing through ran away crying at the sight. Tsuna could only sweatdrop at the way the boxer was moving, he looked more like a jellyfish or an octopus than a swimmer; whatever it was, she was sure she didn't want to swim like that.

"Onii-san! You are scaring the kids!" A sweet voice exclaimed with an edge of embarrassment in it. Tsuna recognized it immediately. 

"Kyoko" She turned to see the orange-haired girl wearing shorts and a pink blouse walking towards them while blushing at her brother’s antics.

"Hello, Tsuna-chan" Kyoko smiled at her "We heard you we learning how to swim, so we came to cheer on you"

"That's right!" Ryohei burst out of the water and looked at Tsuna with a fierce look "Listen here, Sawada! In the world of sports, you need an EXTREME hot-blooded instructor or you won't learn anything at all"

"A hot instructor?" Haru muttered with a dreamy face.

"Hot-blooded! As in a maniac!" Gokudera yelled, making Yamamoto laugh and Kyoko to smile but it did nothing to snap Haru out of her imagination. "Who told you to come, lawn-head?!" 

"Master Pao Pao" Ryohei told him seriously.

"Reborn..." Tsuna turned to glare at the hitman, who was napping in his air-bed and ignoring everything around him. The brunette sighed and turned towards Haru, shaking her shoulder to wake her from her fangirl dream. "Haru, this is Ryohei-senpai and Sasagawa Kyoko, she is my classmate"

"Oh, hello! My name is Miura Haru" She introduced herself animatedly "I'm Tsuna-san invincible best friend!"

"I'm Kyoko, nice to meet you, Haru-chan" Kyoko told her with a gentle smile, while Ryohei yelled and EXTREMELY nice to meet you.

Gokudera yelled at him to shut up, which started a verbal fight between them while Haru tried to break it but eventually joined in the fight. Yamamoto only laughed at them, not daring to step into their loud conversation but enjoying the ruckus all the same. Kyoko took the moment to approach the brunette who was shaking her head at their antics,

"Best invincible friend?" The orange-haired girl asked softly.

"Drop it" Tsuna murmured and looked at the other side.

"I'm actually happy for you" Kyoko smiled.

"Huh? My life depends on these floaters and you feel happy for me?" Tsuna cried in despair while pointing at the pink floaties in her arms. 

"Just look around you, Tsuna-chan. I know you can see what I can, and that’s what makes me happy" Kyoko told her with a knowing smile. 

"It's not like that" Tsuna told her, making Kyoko giggle. The orange-haired girl walked towards her brother to stop him from yelling anymore. Tsuna looked at them, at every one of them before sighing and looking at the floor. "Not like that"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Alright, you boys go and sit down, it's the girls turn!" Haru crossed her arms.

"Stupid woman, who are you to order us around!?" Gokudera glared at her, but Haru glared at him back.

"I haven't even tried it yet!" Ryohei exclaimed, but Haru had enough of that.

"Don't care, it's our turn now. Right, Kyoko-chan?"

"I didn't bring a swimsuit, but I will help too" Kyoko smiled and patted her brother back, silently telling him to step back.

"If you drown Juudaime I will kill you" Gokudera clicked his tongue, but reluctantly stepped back when the aforementioned brunette didn’t oppose.

"Savage man" Haru murmured before turning and smiling at Tsuna. "Alright Tsuna-san, let's go!"

Tsuna only nodded, already feeling tired and stepped into the water with Haru while Kyoko remained on the edge close to them. 

"Do your best, Tsuna!" Yamamoto exclaimed. 

"While everyone is trying to teach you with words and examples, they forget that you are a girl with no experience and then they leave you alone on the water and expect you to swim on your own” Haru told her while shaking her head "So first, we need to make sure you feel safe in the water. I will hold your hands while you lie on your front. All you need to focus is kicking your legs slowly so that you get used to the feeling of swimming” 

"Oh, that way, Tsuna-chan won't be too scared to be in the water, right Haru-chan?" Kyoko pointed.

"Of course!" Haru smile confidently and held her hands towards Tsuna "Just grab my hands, Tsuna-san, I promise I won't let go"

It sounded easy, and knowing that Haru wasn’t mean enough to let go of her hands put her at ease. So she took a shaky breath and held the other brunette’s hands before lying down in the water. In an instance, Tsuna clung harder in fear, but Haru's smooth words started to calm her down. Little by little, she started to kick her legs as Haru started pulling her gently.

"One two, one two, You're doing great, Tsuna-san!"

"Keep it up, Tsuna-chan!"

By Haru’s and Kyoko’s cheering and gentle grip, Tsuna started relaxing and feeling the water move around as she kicked it. Though it was still a bit embarrassing.

"That's good, Tsuna-san, you're doing good! Just feel one with the water" 

"Eh?"

"Feel like a fish in the ocean swimming it’s way home" Kyoko added happily.

"What does that even mean?" Tsuna wondered in confusion.

"Be free!" Haru and Kyoko said in unison, and Tsuna sweatdropped, already seeing the two of them becoming best friends.

"Kyoko, Haru, thank you for your words, they help a lot" Tsuna said with an awkward smile. 

"Your welcome" They smiled brightly.

Things were fine for a little while, she was getting the hang of it and was even starting to enjoy the cool sensation of being in the water, that is until an annoying loud laugh broke her concentration. 

“Baka-Tsuna can’t swim! Lambo-sama it’s better than Baka-Tsuna"

"Lambo, shut up!" Tsuna scolded him with a glare, grateful to Haru that they were still in the shallow area so all she did was quickly kick the ground to keep her head out of the water and saw her mother making her way with an apologetic smile at Lambo’s antics. 

"It's time for lunch, kids" Nana told them merrily and as in a silent agreement, everyone walked towards the picnic table.

"Good evening Sawada-san" Kyoko greeted the woman.

"Hello Kyoko-chan, it's been a while since I last saw you" Nana winked at her "You have to drag Tsu-chan out of the house more often to have fun"

"Mom" Tsuna pouted while she wrapped her towel around her shoulders. 

"Haru-chan and I will make sure of it" Kyoko smiled at Haru, who eagerly nodded.

Tsuna sighed and sat down while rubbing her arms to get rid of the chills after being exposed to the cool air. There goes her mother planning her social life, she thought with a tired but fond smile. Even when she was the one doing the work, everyone seemed hungry for they all quickly served themselves the sushi Yamamoto brought along with some sweets brought by Nana. She was enjoying her third dango stick when Lambo approached her with a pitiful expression.

"Baka-Tsuna" He called her in a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"I wanna pee"

"Lambo!" She exclaimed in alarm, not really knowing how to react from that even though it was obvious. 

"It's all right, Tsu-chan, I will take him" Her mother giggled at her startled expression and walked the little boy to the bathroom area, promising to be back soon. 

Tsuna sighed as she returned her attention to the group around her. They were all laughing and seeming to be having a good time. It was such a contrast to what she was used to. Haru and Kyoko were talking animatedly, getting to know each other better and becoming instant friends. While on the boys' side, Yamamoto was telling them something funny about his baseball practice, causing Ryohei to laugh out loud and annoying poor Gokudera to the point of him shouting at them to shut up while threatening them with his chopsticks.

It was loud and merry and it made her lower her unfinished dango to her plate. 

"Having fun?" Reborn asked, and instead of being freaked out by his sudden appearance like she has been doing before, for some unfathomable reason, she didn’t. It was like she was already expecting it to appear by her side so all she did was tilt her head. 

"I guess"

"You guess?" Reborn quirked an eyebrow. He had been watching the progress of his student, not only in training but socially too. And he couldn't help but notice how awkward and distant the brunette acted around her friends, although she tried to hide it.

"I just… this is my first outing with people my age that doesn't involve school and… I don't know. I don’t know what to do" She confessed in a whisper "Should I laugh or just keep quiet?"

Reborn stayed quiet for a minute, taking in the sincerity of the brunette's words. It was the second time she confessed something so personal, the first time being before that volleyball match when she confessed she didn't want to be dame-Tsuna in her classmate's eyes. And after spending a month with her, he concluded something really important.

She was a loner. He hasn't seen her interacting with other people but Kyoko, that Hana girl and Hibari, as surprising as it may seem. The others, Gokudera, Yamamoto and even Haru, she was keeping them at arm's length despite their silent wish to be closer to her. It was really curious, how one way or another; whether in a positive or negative way, she seems to attract people to her. But the oddity of it all was that Tsuna was rejecting that attraction. 

"Just as I thought, you are useless at making friends Dame-Tsuna" He shook his head, opting to antagonize her to get an emotion out of her. 

"Hey, that's cruel!" She told him with an angry pout. 

"Just be you, there's nothing to be afraid of" He told her, almost as if he was dealing with an idiot. Really, how hard was it to talk with someone her age that wanted to be around her? Apparently, Tsuna didn't.

"But-

"Go in there, say something, make them smile or I promise I will shoot you" He holds his gun to emphasize his threat, making Tsuna gulp and nod.

Shakingly, she stood up and started to walk towards the others. Her mind was running with different ways to start a conversation and rehearsing her words in the little seconds it took her to round the table. But as she neared them, her mind started to go blank as a sudden fear took hold of her.

It's not like they hated her, so what was she afraid of? Reborn thought with annoyance and mild confusion, already loading his gun and putting it on 'silent mode' so that no one was disturbed by the shot. If she couldn’t do something as easy as talking to her friends, then drastic measures must be taken for the upcoming Mafia-related situations.

Tsuna opened her mouth and looked at her… at her friends… in front of her. Although they were mindful of her presence, they haven’t noticed her inner turmoil and anxiety coursing through her mind. A burst of laughter made her stop, closing her mouth and lowering her sigh to the ground. 

She couldn't do it.

"I told you" Reborn suddenly said, and she looked up in fear at Reborn pointing the gun at her.

"Wait, no!" She cried, but the hitman had already fired. 

Everything happened in seconds, but to her, it felt like an eternity. Her world slowed when the bullet collided in her forehead, dragging her head backwards by the forceful energy burst and making her body shake as the orange flame appeared on her head, filling her entire being with a chilling heat as her mind flashed her regret of not being able to talk to her  _ friends  _ before it was rendered blank. 

Her yell and abrupt movement caught the attention of everyone, who turned to look at her in alarm. Reborn could only mentally sigh that her swimsuit remained on her, but as he looked at her, waiting for her aggressive dying will to take action, he was met with something unexpected. 

“Tsuna?” 

**Wrong.**

Something was wrong. 

She didn’t know what it was, couldn’t even think as the sensation of tiny ants crawling on her skin and the feeling of puking raked her body as something inside of her twisted. She couldn’t feel her body being violently thrust forwards before a spiking throb of pain made her wince and grab her head while the orange flame flickered. It made the hitman wonder, seeing the brunette open her gleaming eyes with a grimace and looked around as if searching for something. 

“Juudaime?” 

At this point, everyone was getting worried and slightly panicking at the strange behaviour of the brunette. Seeing her with the particular orange fire was common nowadays, but not with the expression of pain. As they started to question her and move forwards, Tsuna stepped away from them and kept looking around until her eyes landed on a glass of water, where she was able to see her reflection staring back at her with wide orange eyes and the flames burning in her head.

“W-Why is there fire in my head!?" 

She took another step back in shock, not being aware of anything but her tiny reflection, she didn’t see the kids running behind her nor heard the warnings from everyone as she crashed with them. The kids were fine, if only a little startled as they stumbled on the grass next to the pool. But she wasn’t as lucky and could only gasp as her feet slipped past the edge of the pool, submerging her into the water and extinguishing the flames in her head.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera was the first to move, dashing into the water followed by the other boys while the girls hovered near and made sure that the kids were alright too. 

Through it all, Reborn could only stare at what had happened in bewilderment. Not many things could surprise him, he was the number one hitman after all, but even he had to admit how disconcerting it was. For a moment there, it was as if Tsuna had rejected the dying will bullet. Or rather…

.

.

.

_ It was cold. So cold. What happened to the warmth? Moments ago, it was all that she knew and now, the chilling surrounded her in a painful embrace.  _

_ Flinching, she opened her eyes, finding nothing but darkness around her. _

_ She tried to move, but her body felt frozen. Trapped.  _

_ She blinked but saw nothing around. _

_ And yet… _

_ And yet, she knew... _

_ There was something here with her. It felt like icy claws sneaking around her waist, pulling her under and tearing a gasp out of her lips at the creeping sensation of a voice whispering in her ear. _

_ Of a voice whispering in her ear.  _

**_“-ɠҽƚ -e o̶̤u̵t, Tsu̸nay̷u̸̷u̸k̷i̸”_ **

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Ghaa!" She gasped as soon as the cool air hit her face, her lungs were burning and the sensation of throwing up intensified as she started to cough the water stuck in her throat. Her mind was sluggish to process what was happening, and she couldn't help but to panic as two strong arms were wrapped on her waist and were pulling her around. 

She heard whispers and voices mingling together, but as she finally opened her eyes, she was blinded by the glaring sun from above and flinched. 

"I got you Juudaime, it's okay, it's okay" A familiar voice kept reassuring her. It took her a while to recognize it and to brave herself to open her eyes once more. As the burning in her throat subsided and her mind cleared the panic, she found herself shaking in Gokudera's arms, who was gently pulling her towards the edge of the pool. Right, she fell. As reality finally settled in, she threw her arms around his neck and shivered with a weak cry.

"Tsuna. Just breathe, you’re okay” Yamamoto told her softly at her side, worried about the girl's state and not knowing what else to do to calm her down.

"It's going to be alright, Juudaime" Gokudera told her softly as he moved towards the edge, where Reborn was waiting for them with Ryohei reassuring the girls. Tsuna only curled closer to him, her nails almost digging to his back, but he didn't mind. He was just focused on getting her out of the water as soon as possible.

"Tsuna-chan, are you okay?" Kyoko asked with teary eyes when the brunette was closer to them. 

Tsuna didn't answer and only clung to Gokudera. It was a bit difficult trying to get out without releasing her, but he refused to let go of the brunette. Eventually, he made it, being followed by Yamamoto and carried the girl to the picnic table. He was thinking of setting her down on the wooden bench, but by the way, she tightened her grip, he opted to sit down with her on his lap. If it weren't for the serious situation, he would have blushed in honour. 

"You okay?" Reborn was by their side in a second, the brunette loosened her grip but didn't make a movement to let go.

"Yeah…" She whispered in a raspy voice, her chest rose and fell as she tried to get her heart to calm down now that she was safe and on land.

"Tsuna-san!" Haru cried "This is the second time, Tsuna-san is going to give me a heart attack"

"I'm sorry" She said weakly.

"What matters is that you're okay" Kyoko smiled and wrapped a towel around the shaking brunette.

"If you wanted to try and swim again, you should have just told us, we want to help" Yamamoto patted her head gently.

"I… yes, thank you… but I think it's enough for today" She used the towel to hide her face as she wiped the water from her eyes. 

"Sure"

"We can always try again another day, Tsuna-san" Haru smiled along with Kyoko.

"Yeah" Tsuna nodded tiredly.

"How about an EXTREME ice-cream?" Ryohei suddenly yelled.

"Shut up! You are too loud!" Gokudera glared at him and held the brunette closer to him as if to protect her from the noise. Tsuna blink and blushed, her brain finally processing that she was out of the water and in the arms of the bomber- or more exactly his lap- after he rescued her oh so bravely. She would have fainted in embarrassment, but she was too tired for that, and besides, it was warm.

"What about you, Tsuna-chan? What flavour would you like?" Kyoko asked, and Tsuna blinked.

"...Strawberry, thank you"

"We'd be right back" Ryohei was paying for everyone, so he went along with the other girls once they were sure the brunette had stopped trembling.

"And you better not do anything to Tsuna-san!" Haru glared at Gokudera, who glared back.

"That loud woman" He muttered. "Who does she think she is"

"Thank you"

Gokudera stopped his thoughts about annoying girls and looked down at his Juudaime. After she saved him from his recklessness and reached out her hand, he has gotten to know the girl better. She was a strong-willed girl despite the teasing from everyone and her introvert tendencies. She was serious and calm most of the time but could be fun to be with and a little quirky. She was strong, even if she couldn’t see that. But just as she could be fierce, she can also be fragile at times. And it was his duty to protect her on every occasion.

"It's alright," He told her with a smile "It's my job as your right-hand man to protect you, after all"

Tsuna stayed quiet for a moment, before slowly unwrapping her arms from his neck and with her eyes still downcast, she flopped on the seat next to him. 

"If he is your right-hand man, then can I be your left-hand man?" He asked, taking the opportunity to sit on her other side and grinned when Tsuna turned to look at him with her nose scrunched up.

"You don't deserve such an honour! Besides, nobody invited you!" Gokudera clicked his tongue and crossed his arms.

"Ma, Ma~ You have to share"

“This isn’t a game, you bastard” 

Tsuna left the two arguing and wondered where her mom was. But it was good she wasn't there to witness her half drowning moment, she supposed with a tired sigh and crossed her arms over the table to lean down and rest her chin in them. And as she looked up, she was met with Reborn’s black eyes that had been silently staring at her. 

"Reborn, what was that?" She asked him quietly, watching as Leon crawled down from his favourite place in the hitman’s fedora to start his journey to climb at the top of her head. His little scaly fingers made her shudder in remembrance of the sensation from before. 

"What do you know about the Deathperation Flames?" The hitman question as he stood on the table and sat down in front of her.

"You mean, the Dying Will Flames?" She tilted her head and Reborn felt a little curious as to how she knew, but then again, Dino must have told her. So he nodded and let her continue, opting to do an interrogation another day. "I know there are seven colours of flames, each one belonging to the ones of the rainbow. Although they can also be classified as the primary and secondary colours. Except for sky blue, that would be a third colour …or they could also fall into the category of complementary colours, it all depends on-

"Speak in Mafia language, Dame-Tsuna, not in art" Reborn deadpanned.

"They are fire powers?" 

"The Dying Will Flame is a high-density form of energy that is born from one's own life-force"

"Huh?" She blinked at him.

"It’s your Will. Your emotions and your drive. You are manifesting your life-energy into the real world and feeding it with your resolve"

"Like the force in star wars?" She asked meekly, clearly not really understanding.

"Yes, Dame-Tsuna, like the force, only that it becomes visible and takes the form of a real flame." Reborn sighed, adding in his list of teaching her the aspects of the flames.

"Oh" Tsuna nodded "But why does it become visible and why can't everyone do it?”

"Because they are weak" Reborn looked around warily. They should be having this conversation in a closed space, but they were in a loud place and the curious look of the brunette made him continue in a low voice "Dying will flames are not something common in the world, Tsuna. They belong in the Mafia, and that's where they must stay."

"And yet you make me light a flame in my head when I'm surrounded by civilians"

"Do not interrupt me, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn pinched her cheek, making her cry in pain before releasing her "As I was saying, the Dying Will Flames will come to those who are strong in mind and have certain characteristics that qualify them as flame users. Flames are something natural that the users are born with, but in most cases, it's passed through mafia family generations. You’re a direct descendant from Vongola Primo, you carry his lineage and blood as a flame user” 

“But I…” She murmured before shaking her head “Why orange?” 

“In a Famiglia, six guardians surround the boss, each one in possession of an attribute. Storm, Rain, Lightning, Sun, Cloud and Mist. With distinctive abilities and special characteristic, they all swear an oath to protect their boss, The Sky” Reborn stopped and looked at the brunette, who was only looking at him with wide eyes. "And you, Tsuna, are the one that accepts them all" 

"I'm...the Sky?" She asked in a broken whisper.

Reborn remained silent, wondering why the brunette looked like she was about to cry.

"We are back" A cheery voice called behind them and Tsuna stood up from her slouched position to rub her eyes.

"Here, Tsuna-chan" Kyoko handed her a strawberry ice-cream cone.

"Thanks" She accepted it with a tiny smile.

"Baka-Tsuna, where's my ice cream?" Lambo jumped on the table, looking at Tsuna expectantly. Where did he come from?

"Sorry we took long" Her mother said not too far behind “There was a long line, Lambo-kun almost didn't make it, and then he got in a fight with a little girl"

"She called me broccoli monster, Baka-Tsuna" Lambo told her with a pout.

"She probably didn't mean it." Tsuna said before offering her cone "Here, you can have it"

"But Tsuna-san will be without ice-cream"

"You can have mine, Juudaime"

"It's fine" She looked at them with a tiny smile "Thank you"

"Did something happen?" Nana asked her daughter almost knowingly.

"No" The brunette shook her head and looked so sure of her answer that Reborn raised an eyebrow. But Nana only nodded and let it be, for now.

Tsuna rested her head back into her arms and listened to the others talk. She tried to answer as best as she could when they asked her something, but she was tired, all she wanted was to just go home.

She looked at the pool with a resentful look. It wasn't fair, why couldn’t humans be born with the ability to swim? It would have been easier than facing this circus in trying to learn. She was very thankful to everyone for trying to help, but she couldn’t help feeling disappointed at herself for failing. They all tried so hard and wasted their time on her, and while she did try her best, she couldn't do it in the end.

She did want to swim, but she also didn't want to bother them again in case she fails once more. It was so annoying. 

"Let's try it again, one more" Reborn told her, breaking her from her thoughts. And she started to wonder if Reborn could read minds.

"I really don't want to" She muttered.

"I know, but you will" He pointed towards the pool "Now get your ass in the water, I'll teach you this time"

"You will kill me"

"Not in front of your mother"

"Can we do this other day?" She groaned.

"No" He smirked knowingly "Besides, that's not what you want"

Tsuna glared at him, before swallowing hard, knowing there was no going back with him. She took a deep breath and stood up, gaining the attention of everyone.

"Tsuna-san?"

"I'm….I want to try again" She said, crossing her arms on her chest.

"That's the spirit!"

"EXTREME!" Ryohei exclaimed. 

"Who do you want to teach you?" Kyoko asked, and they all looked expectantly at her.

"Reborn" She whispered, and although everyone wanted to teach the brunette, they smiled at her initiative.

"Good luck, Tsuna-chan"

"Do your best, Tsu-chan!" Nana cheered for her. 

Tsuna nodded and walked to the pool with Reborn, who was tempted to push her into the water as it took her some minutes to get over her tiny trauma before finally stepping into the shallow area. Once she was standing, Leon jumped from her head to land in the water as a swimming board, and not one second later, Reborn was standing on it. 

"The first step to get it over with is to do it, even if you are afraid." Reborn told her "Now, lie down and grab the swimming board. Start kicking, if you don't move an inch, I will push you down"

"I knew it, you want to kill me!" She exclaimed in horror, but Reborn glared at her.

"Start kicking, Dame-Tsuna"

Tsuna bit her lip, before grabbing Leon’s morphed form tightly to lie down as she did with Haru and started kicking her legs. Of course, it wasn't the same feeling as when the other girl was teaching her, right now she was tense and scared that if she didn't move, the hitman will drown her just to teach her how to do it properly. So she made sure to take a breath every now and then and put a lot of effort into her kick. She didn't feel it though, but she was actually moving little by little.

"Good. Now let go of the swimming board, turn around, lie on your back, and start swinging your arms while kicking"

"What? No, no, no!" Tsuna stood up, grateful that the water reached her below the chin and shook her head, looking at the baby hitman as if he was crazy. Which, he was.

"Dame-Tsuna, we can do this by hook or by crook, my choice." Reborn threatened her.

"But Reborn!" 

"Life is based in fear, Dame-Tsuna," He told her calmly "If you want to live, you have to face your fears, live them and overcome them"

Tsuna didn't say anything for a while, but Reborn could see her resolve in her eyes. She was scared; she admitted it. But the truth was, she didn't want to be afraid anymore. She didn't want to let her mother down, and she didn't want to let Reborn down. She had to do this, she can do this.

"One arm at the time, okay?" Reborn told her softly, well... as softly as a hitman could. It made Tsuna look at him and nod.

"O-Okay"

"Now let go"

Tsuna shut her eyes, and with a whimper, she released her grip on the swimming board. The reaction was instant; her arms were waving wildly at trying to remain over the surface, and over the panic, she had forgotten that she still had the pink floaties in her arms. So they kept her on the surface as she coughed and did her best to try and float on her own.

"Easy Dame-Tsuna" Reborn told her at her side "Just calm down, you won't drown"

It took her another couple of minutes to finally calm down and she cheered in her mind when she finally managed how to float without swallowing water. The next step was perhaps the scariest, so she was telling her body to relax. Nothing bad was going to happen, was a whisper being chanted in the back of her mind, somehow reassuring her and willing her nerves to calm. 

Slowly, she moved on the water carefully until she somehow managed to turn her body around and faced the sky. 

"Every human can float, just don't think you will sink and you'll be fine" Reborn's squeaky voice advised her and Tsuna had to hold back a groan.

_ Easy for you to say _

"Now, if you kick and swing your arms alternately, you will swim backstroke style" Tsuna remained still though, so Reborn kicked her on the side "Move, Dame-Tsuna"

She winced when he moved her, but she remained floating like a dead fish, so that was good, she thought with solace. With a gulp, she started moving her arms in sync with her legs slowly. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of any bad thoughts as to not break her concentration. She felt the cool water caress her skin, it was a nice sensation, almost like it was washing her fears away.

"It feels nice" She murmured.

"There," Reborn nodded "Now turn around, it's time for the real deal" She was a bit reluctant, and Reborn knew it, but he wasn't going to let her back down now. "Just like before"

Tsuna shuddered, before nodding, to herself, to Reborn, to her fears. She was doing this.

She turned around, facing the water, and had to hold back the urges to panic. She held her breath, before forcing her body to relax.

_ "I'm not going to drown, I can float, I'm not going to sink! The water won't eat me, I'm not going to die _ " Tsuna thought frantically and before she knew it, she was floating face down.

"Good, now start kicking" She heard Reborn said and with newfound determination; she started to move as she was instructed. "Now, kick, arm, and kick"

As Reborn guided her on what to do, they started making progress. Tsuna was swimming! It was sloppy, and it kinda looked like a fish out of the water, but she was swimming! And then Reborn glared at her when he saw her choking. "Take air, Dame-Tsuna!" Yes, she was just like a dying fish.

Tsuna stuck her head out of the water to take a huge breath, before going back to her task. How silly of her, she was so focused on keeping her arms and legs in sync that she forgot about breathing. She could feel herself gliding in the water and becoming less tense, she wanted to cheer but still feared that if she stopped moving then she was going to sink.

But even if her face was underwater, she still smiled. She did it. She really did it, she was swimming! And it was all thanks to them, her...her friends and Reborn.

" _ Breathing, balance, extremely, be free" _ She repeated that mantra in her head, and it was those words that kept her going.

Reborn smirked as if knowing what she was thinking and let her move a bit far away from him. He was still standing on the swimming board and watching her move on the water with newfound resolution. Well, it was still sloppy but at least she looked a bit more graceful than before.

"Now you are on your own" He smirked as he lowered his fedora on his face. 

Tsuna was happy she had accomplished her goal and overcome her fear of the water. Really happy, but she was also tired and was done for the day. Clumsily, she swam towards the edge of the pool to pull herself out, but she was too tired to even do that, so she just held the edge to hold herself on the surface and breathe. And that's when she saw them.

"Juudaime!"

"Tsuna-chan, you did it!"

"I knew you could do it!"

“EXTREME, SAWADA!” 

"You did it, Tsuna-chan!"

She looked at them with a weird expression in her opinion. Weird, because she didn't know what kind of face she was making. Her eyes stung, but she blamed the chlorine of the pool, and her heart fluttered, but it was because she was out of breath. So...why did their smiles make her want to cry? She didn't know, but this warm feeling, whatever it was, it didn't feel that bad. It was thanks to them that she had succeeded today. 

So she looked at them and smiled brightly.

“Thank you!"

She was grateful, so grateful and tired, really tired that she completely missed the reactions of the others. But Nana didn't, and she smiled in happiness. 

So maybe the guys were blushing or staring in awe and the girls felt a pang of happiness in their hearts that made them blush a little too. And they stood frozen for a minute; not daring to move because they didn't want to see that smile disappear.

Tsuna blinked at them, not realizing it was her smile that had frozen them before shrugging and went to lie on her back in the water to rest. It felt good, she concluded and had little to no trouble maintaining her balance. The sky looked pretty, she thought as she looked up, orange colours swallowing the blue as the sunset was making its way.

Reborn hopped out of the pool and looked at the others with a raised eyebrow, amused by their reactions. 

"Idiots, say something" he said before walking off, snapping them from their trance.

"Y-You’re welcome, Juudaime!"

"Of course!"

"If you ever need help, you can count on us!"

"Tsuna-san, you’re amazing!” 

Tsuna heard them but didn't move. Yeah, it was a good feeling she didn't mind experiencing every now and then, she thought with a smile. However, the hook was already stuck.

"So I'm the sky, huh?" Her bright smile vanished and all traces of happiness disappeared from her eyes. She looked up at the darkening canvas above her, and chuckled, a wry smile forming on her lips as she whispered to the air. 

"Didn't saw that coming, did you?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, my plan for the story is to have the guardians bond with Tsuna and have her 'bond' with them before the chaos begins. 
> 
> Leave a comment! I love reading what you guys think of the story! And for those 1827 shippers, don't worry, I will write in later chapters how little Tsuna met Hibari.


	7. Rain, Rain, go away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy~

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I feel like my body is floating"

"That's an after effect of being in a large body of water for hours"

"I feel dizzy"

"Another after effect"

"I think my brain is melting"

"That's because you are stupid"

Tsuna groaned, too tired to argue back. Her limbs felt like they were on fire, her arms and legs were too tired to move and aching in a way they haven’t before. She was lying on her bed but it still felt like she was floating in the pool, could still feel the sensations of waves rocking her body gently. If she had known she would get dizzy and exhausted after being in the pool then she wouldn’t have stayed for more than an hour in there. 

It was probably one hour past midnight, school started in 7 hours and Tsuna really didn't want to go. The strange sensation in her body was preventing her from finding any sleep. Whenever she closed her eyes, she could feel her body moving on its own. It was all in her mind, Reborn has been telling her for the past couple of hours. But it was weird and quite frightening, so she couldn’t force herself to fall asleep. 

That stupid baby, she cursed silently. Even if she didn’t get any sleep she was sure the baby hitman will make her go to school, one way or another. Her only console was that she was keeping the hitman up. Reborn was sitting next to her head, claiming her pillow as his seat -more like his throne in Tsuna's mind- and was sipping some espresso as always. How he can drink such a bitter beverage so late in the night and still function in the day was a mystery. 

An unwelcome one. She had finally gotten used to living a normal life in Japan, had been enjoying the boring school days, the quietness in her house, hanging with Kyoko, sometimes with Hana and grown accustomed to Kyoya’s moody swings. It was normal. But then the devil appeared at her doorstep, quite literally and threw chaos into her peaceful routine.

She wanted to do nothing more than to kick him out of her room. And house. And life.

Oh, she tried not to smile at that last thought. Yes; though she will never admit it to his face, when she was little she would have given everything to be the student of the famous hitman, would beg Dino to teach her what he learned from him and read whatever cool stories there were of him in the house library and dreamed of becoming a hitwoman just like him. But now… him training her to become the Mafia Boss of Vongola… it was a really bad and bitter joke.

The Sky? Her?

She couldn't do it, she didn't want to. It’s not how it was supposed to be and now, Reborn was not only changing and endangering her life but the people in it too. There was a hot nasty feeling inside of her whenever she thought about that, she was trying her best to keep it hidden, but with every chaotic mishap directed by the baby hitman, that feeling just kept boiling and boiling and what kind of name was Reborn, anyway?

Tsuna huffed silently at her musings. 

Her mother was already taken by Reborn, and she has come to accept that it will be impossible to get rid of him unless she gives in. She didn’t want to lose her peace, but a part of her wanted to keep him. There was something about that baby hitman that made her feel uneasy in a good way. She couldn't quite name what it was, didn’t want to voice it out loud in fear of embarrassment but she was sure there was a… pull?… between them. 

She was no stranger to power; she has seen it, felt it. And Reborn reeked of it, no matter how deeply hidden it was, she could feel invisible tendrils clawing at her skin as if trying to reach her, bind her and  _ pull  _ her. It was scary, truly scary but the foolish curious part of her wanted to pull back just to see what happened. She didn't know what it really was, but she might have an idea where it was coming from.

"Hey…" She turned her head on the pillow to see him "If I try something, do you promise me not to get mad or shoot me?”

"You want to do something that you know will piss me off?" Reborn raised an eyebrow and looked at Tsuna as if she was the stupidest person on Earth.

"Yeah" Was her simple answer, and Reborn blinked incredulously at her.

"A mafia boss doesn't ask. He acts." He chided wisely as he put his empty cup away "But you have to be fast and surprise your opponent"

"Okay"

Her hand reached forward, and Reborn will forever deny the feeling of shock when the tips of her fingers brushed the yellow pacifier hanging around his neck. The innocent action lasted no more than three seconds, but it was enough to create a strong reaction. First, there was light, followed by warmness, but then there was coldness followed by pain. The spell broke when Tsuna pulled her hand back towards her chest with a startled cry.

"Ngh, w-what the-! It hurts!" She cried as she sat up and pressed her red fingers tightly against her right hand to stop the hot pulsing from spreading.

Reborn blinked and breathed out. He looked down to see his pacifier glowing dim, and then up, to see Tsuna's pained face and bloody fingers.

"It burned me" She stated with wide glassy eyes.

"I can see that"

"Is it normal?"

"No one had ever…" Reborn shook his head and opened his hand with a demanding stare "Give me your fingers"

"No!" Tsuna flinched back, cradling her injured fingers closer towards her chest.

"Dame-Tsuna" Reborn glared at her, leaving no room to argue. Tsuna gulped and slowly, she handed her trembling hand towards the baby.

"Ngh" She shut her eyes when she felt Reborn's tiny fingers touch her injury.

"Shut up, Dame-Tsuna, mafia bosses don't whimper over burned fingers" He scolded her and inspected the injury. Three of her fingers were burnt; it was obvious by the raw skin and blood starting to form in tiny dots. But it wasn't too serious as to call for medical assistance. Still… What on earth just happened?

"I'm not a mafia boss" Tsuna said quietly and Reborn chose to ignore her in favour of tending to her fingers. It was a good thing the brunette kept a glass of water on her desk, without mentioning the aid-kit under the bed.

"Keep them there" He didn't warn the girl, he simply shoved her bleeding fingers into the clear water of the glass of water and ignored Tsuna's startled yelp as he jumped down towards the floor and dragged the aid kid from under its hidden place. Reborn aimlessly noted that a few things were almost running out, bandaids, mostly. He didn't let it bother him though, giving the girl's clumsy actions; he wouldn't be surprised if this was the fourth aid kit of the month.

Grabbing what he needed, he returned to the pale and trembling brunette who stared at the now bloody water in the glass with a sick expression.

"Don't be a baby, Dame-Tsuna" He scolded her as he took her fingers out of the water and started to work, letting Leon grab the glass of red water with his tongue and balance it in the air so that he could put it back on the desk. Reborn inspected her fingers now that they were clear of blood, and noted that there were luckily no blisters, it was just a superficial burn on the tips of her fingers. So with a sigh, after he rubbed some ointment he found in the aid kit and started to wrap some gauze around the index finger first.

He should make the brunette take care of her own actions, but seeing as she was so out of it and he was starting to get too pensive, he let it go to keep him grounded. 

"What possessed you to do something like that?" He demanded silently, busying himself on securing the bandage with medical tape.

"I was just curious" Tsuna sniffed, holding back her tears and whimpers as she watched the hitman tend her injury. It’s not the first time she burned her fingers, but she still hated the scorching pain it brought. 

"Curiosity killed the cat" Reborn grabbed her middle finger and proceeded to do the same, pausing just a second to observe an old tiny white scar on the skin there. 

"Satisfaction brought it back"

"Are your burned fingers satisfied?"

"Point taken" Tsuna murmured as she moved her knees towards her chest so that she could rest her chin on them and continued to stare at Reborn. "I was just really curious. Lal has one too, you know, although hers is grey and cold in touch. Yours looked shiny, I couldn't help it…" she sighed "I didn't think it would make such a reaction though, Lal's didn't"

"Lal let you touch her pacifier?" Reborn asked without any curiosity showing in his face as he finished wrapping the medical tape over the brunette's ring finger and put everything back in the aid-kit. He left the bloody water on the desk though; he was going to make Tsuna wash it until it was clean and then force her to drink from it.

"So you know each other, huh" Tsuna narrowed her eyes in a soft glare, thinking back when Lal used to babysit her in Italy, and how she childishly declared that she was going to become the apprentice of the world's number one hitman. Lal laughed, she had the audacity to laugh at her dream. It was very annoying at that time, but maybe now that it was actually happening -in a way- she could gloat it to her ex-babysitter. Yeah, she could do that.

Feeling a heavy stare drilling her head, she opted to keep her eyes hidden from the black orbs in front of her and answered the hitman’s previous question.

"She didn't exactly let me, it was an accident. I fell down the stairs and dragged her with me, my fingers brushed against the pacifier when we hit the floor. She probably didn't even realize it, too busy screaming at me" Tsuna said and deemed it safe enough to lie back down on the bed, cradling her injured hand closer to her chest. Thinking about it, how many times has she burned the fingers in that hand, three?

"Falling down the stairs? How lame, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn sighed. First was Dino's clumsy and idiotic nature. Then there was Tsuna's curious and Dame actions. He hoped this wasn’t becoming a pattern, swearing then and there that Tsuna was going to be his last foolish student.

The hitman settled down next to her, leaning against her ribs and petted Leon’s head, who had crawled back to the bed. With today's events still fresh in his mind, he doubted he was going to get proper rest if his questions weren't answered soon. But Tsuna was good at evading questions, and being threatened at gunpoint was only going to make her cry and curse at him instead of answering. Maybe he needed to push a little more?

"About today, was it too hard to believe?" He asked quietly after a few minutes. He felt movement behind him and turned slightly to see the brunette curling up.

"I'm no leader… I can't be the sky" She whispered with a voice void of emotions, but the hitman was able to catch the bitterness in it.

"You are, deep down. And it's my job to bring it out" He said with a stern voice that promised lots of training, torture and hardships.

"Good luck with that" Tsuna muttered, not bothering to continue the conversation.

They remained in silence for a while, each one trapped on their own thoughts. The shock finally drained her and was lulling the brunette to sleep. Her eyes were already closed when she heard the hitman's voice slipping through her sleep ridden mind.

"Tsuna"

"Hmm?"

"When I shot you today, what were you thinking?" He had to ask. He had to know what made the dying will mode to be cancelled so easily.

"I wanted to have fun with friends… I think" She said with a yawn.

"And after I shot you?"

"…mmno"

"No?" Reborn raised an eyebrow.

"It was like a voice was screaming ‘no’ over and over in my head…"

Her voice toned down and soon, her breathing evened out as she finally fell asleep. Reborn was almost tempted to kick the girl awake to get more answers, but he let her be. For now. Jumping across the room, he landed on his hammock, where Leon proceeded to claim a spot to sleep, but he couldn’t.

There was just one more mystery to add to the growing list and he was getting frustrated at not getting enough answers. Why the hell was his new student so complicated and full of secrets? She looked so transparent, he was sure he could read what she was thinking and yet he knew nothing. Every time he thought he got her right, she surprised him and twisted his previous deductions, adding just more questions to his list.

His comparison of his students was wrong, while Dino was complicated too, Tsuna was more troublesome. Nevermind that she was a girl, she was just too unpredictable. 

But it was fine, he supposed as he gave in to sleep. He likes a good puzzle.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Two weeks after the pool incident, Tsuna couldn't say if things were going good or bad.

For starters, Reborn was trying to kill her, there was no other explanation. Waking up with bombs in her bed and a mallet in her head, making her run around the whole city before school, then making her do crazy exercises till sundown, expect her to return home in five minutes, take a tree-minutes shower, have dinner, do homework while being tutored about mafia etiquette before being sent to bed and expected to sleep for more than 6 hours.

It was crazy. Her body was sore; she has bruises, scratches, and scraps all over her legs and arms that she kept hidden with long socks and jackets. Unfortunately, she couldn’t quite hide the bags under her eyes seeing as she didn’t own any makeup and asking Bianchi for help will lead into a ‘training’ she was not interested in, so she let it be. 

The only benefit was the food. Reborn made sure that she ate breakfast, had lunch at school and a full dinner. Probably because he saw how skinny she was and how quickly she tired and wanted to fatten her but she didn't care. Food was food.

Because of the almost drowning situation, Gokudera became more protective and followed her around everywhere she went, making sure there was no danger around her, that strangers weren't trying to hurt her and cheering her up after Reborn’s harsh training. It was kinda cute, but she sometimes questioned where that loyalty came from.

Yamamoto was a similar case. He seemed to be spending more time with her than with his other friends. Every time Gokudera walked her home, the baseball ace would catch up with them. Of course, the boys will start bickering - it was more Gokudera yelling and Yamamoto teasing back - but it was becoming common to see them together with her. And she didn’t understand why.

And then, there were the girls. Kyoko and Haru were like a match made in heaven, like two peas in a pod. They get along so well, they were mostly inseparable now. And they were double-teaming to drag her out of the house to eat cake, buy clothes or just hang out. They even managed to drag Hana twice and that was something. 

But it was also exhausting.

Kyoko always seems to know what she was feeling, which was a surprise because even Reborn was having troubles with that. The orange-haired girl always knew what to say and when to stop pushing. Haru, on the other hand, didn't. And Tsuna didn't know how to deal with the hotheaded girl. It was a new experience that she was slowly getting used to, adding that to Reborn's training, she was dead tired by the end of the week.

But thank god it was Sunday. And thank god for her Mother. If it weren't for Nana asking Reborn nicely not to ‘play’ this weekend, then Tsuna wouldn't have one free day to rest. And she was enjoying it to its fullest; she didn't even care to change from her pyjamas and it was way past afternoon.

She was lazing around in her bed, sketching the hitman in one of his many outfits - a spartan warrior, who dressed like a Spartan nowadays? It wasn’t even Halloween! - and watching Reborn from time to time reread the two letters he received on Friday. She was curious to ask what they were about, but she knew that if she asked, Reborn will ask a question back, and it will be an endless game of lies, half-truths and deceit. So far, the score was in her favour, even though the hitman thought otherwise.

For his part, Reborn could feel the curious stare of the brunette, by now he knew she didn’t need to stare at a model to accurately draw them, so her sketching him while sneaking glances meant she was curious - again- but was smart enough not to ask. He was well aware of their little game and he wasn’t going to let her win that easily. However, there was a serious matter at hand.

He wasn’t worried about the first letter although it wasn’t a very welcomed one in his mind, the second one, however, was no game. It was a warning from Vongola. He doesn't know how it happened; if there was a leak of information or a spy among their ranks but someone knows about Tsuna and was coming for her. And she wasn't ready, nor were the guardians.

If Tsuna rejects the dying will bullet again or if she keeps pushing the others away before they could form a solid bond, he really doesn’t know what could happen. It was dangerous territory they were approaching, and he feared the brunette wasn't going to be ready, either physically or mentally for when the time comes. They need to increase their training and raise her mental barriers, if she were to doubt herself for one second in battle it can cost her her life. 

Maybe a motivational talk will help her put her mind at ease so that he can break the news. 

"Are you really spending all day in bed, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn sighed, tucking away the letters and getting ready to go out.

"It’s my free day, Mom’s orders. And don't call me Dame!"

"Prove me wrong then" He chided and jumped towards the window.

"Where are you going?" Tsuna questioned out loud because it was rare for Reborn to go out on his own, seeing as he was 24/7 with her.

"I'm meeting with someone" Reborn told her while he fixed his fedora.

"Really? Who?" She sat down with a raised eyebrow, even more intrigued. 

"An old acquaintance of mine" Reborn looked at Tsuna over his shoulder "Tag along"

Without waiting for her, he jumped out of the window and towards the streets.

"Heh" Tsuna's lips curled into a smirk. She had a feeling this acquaintance was the writer of one of the letters, and by Reborn's air of superiority, it must be one of  _ them _ .

Well, this was going to be interesting.

She got out of bed quickly, not wanting to lose sight of the hitman and grabbed a hoodie before running downstairs to put on her sneakers. She barely had time to yell at her mother that she was going out before she slipped out of the house and ran until she caught up with Reborn.

"You have no shame, Dame-Tsuna" He scolded her, looking at her dishevelled appearance wearing red pyjama pants, a grey hoodie with faded stars and her worn-out orange sneakers in disapproval. ‘A Mafia boss should not wear pyjamas in public’ she could almost hear his chiding in her head.

"Shut up" Tsuna tried to brush her hair so that she wouldn’t look like a complete mess "Whose this person you’re meeting with?"

"Keep walking, it's not far" Reborn said as he hopped onto her shoulder for a ride, leading her through the streets. "How are your nightmares coming along?"

"I haven't had one since I started taking the pills. But I do keep having strange dreams, the last one was about a carnivorous garden on fire” Tsuna said. They had changed the doses of the pills so that she could wake up in time to go to school and be able to fall asleep without waking in the middle of the night. The pills didn’t always work, however, and when they did, they often left her with a headache, so she was debating on not taking them anymore. 

"Well, at least you stopped dreaming with gore" Reborn

"You can say that again" Tsuna mumbled. Even though she only dreamt that awful dream once, it was enough to leave an impression on her, one that made her scared to go to sleep in fear of seeing it again. 

After a few more turns on the street in silence, they finally come across a little food stall at the end of a corner. It looked shady, probably didn’t have permission to sell things and if Kyoya were to find out, she didn’t want to know what he will do to the poor soul managing the stall.

"Don't embarrass me, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn whispered harshly in her ear and before Tsuna could argue, she was stopped by a soft voice greeting them.

"Good evening, Reborn. It pleases me that you accepted my invitation" There, behind the stall was a strange-looking little man, with purple clothing and black sunglasses to hide his appearance "You must be Sawada Tsunayuuki, my name is Fon, it's a pleasure to meet you"

"Likewise" Tsuna smiled cordially, finding it a little weird that he knew her full name but quickly dismissed the idea of danger "Reborn doesn't talk much about his life, it's great to meet one of his friends"

"We are colleagues" Reborn grumbled, jumping down from Tsuna's shoulder to stand on the flat table.

"Don't mind him, he's in denial when he's grumpy" Fon told her with amusement in his voice.

"He is always grumpy" Tsuna sighed.

"What brought you here?" Reborn asked.

"I was in Japan and wanted to say hello" Fon told him softly before turning to the brunette "Are you hungry? Would you like to try some dumplings?"

"Yes, please" Tsuna smiled and sat down on a little stool.

"I-pin" Fon called to someone besides him.

"Hai!" A little girl appeared from behind the stall, setting a plate of steaming dumplings in front of Tsuna and Reborn.

"Hey, I remember you" Tsuna pointed towards the girl. It was the same little girl that apparently, had attacked Dino "Hello there"

"I-pin, says, hello!" I-pin exclaimed in her broken Japanese.

"I-pin, that's your name?" Tsuna asked, receiving a nod from the girl "Well, hello. Thanks for the food"

"She's my apprentice" Fon told them, after getting a raised eyebrow from Reborn just as Tsuna's lips curled up in amusement. 

"What are you thinking?" Reborn narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her.

"Nothing, Nothing" Tsuna covered her smirk and proceeded to eat. "But what's with the shady clothing? If an officer sees you, you can get arrested"

"Thanks for your concern, Sawada-san. I’m afraid I’m not very welcomed in the area, but I wasn’t lying when I said I had some business here. Just wanted to blend in, I suppose” 

“Then you shouldn't have come” 

“Reborn, don’t be rude” Tsuna grimaced at the hitman’s blunt words and looked back to see Fon removing his costume and revealing his real appearance. His attire screamed Chinese, and there was something in his eyes that looked really familiar but what grabbed her attention the most was the red pacifier hanging around his neck on par with Reborn’s yellow one.

“Good? Yes?”  The little girl, I-pin, asked shyly at Tsuna who had unconsciously stopped midbite. Blinking to awareness, she swallowed the dumpling and nodded energetically.

“Oh, yes. They are very good!” 

"I'm glad to hear that. I-pin made her best effort" Fon said with a pleased smile. 

"You made this?" Tsuna asked a now blushing I-pin, who nodded shyly. "That's amazing! I can't even crack an egg without it exploding in my face and- hey, what's wrong?" She asked in worry when she noticed nine circles starting to appear on the girl’s forehead. 

"Ah, you see" Fon approached I-pin with a smile "She's rather bashful when someone compliments her and gets easily embarrassed to the point where the pinzu-time super explosion activates, causing her to explode."

"I'm... I’m sorry, what?" Tsuna restrained herself from making a stupid face when asking that. Because… really, what?

"In other words, she is a human bomb and explodes when the countdown reaches one" Reborn said with a sigh and Tsuna couldn't keep her horrified look after that. Fon must have seen it, because he laughed softly and patted I-pin on the shoulder, making the girl breathe out in a daze, and in seconds, she was acting as nothing happened.

"It's alright. Normally, I can calm her down or if you know how to distract her mind, it can work too. Meditation is really useful" Fon reassured her.

"I see" Tsuna blinked and an awkward smile formed on her lips "So… how did you and Reborn met?"

They spent the next hour talking. Fon was a very interesting person, his way of storytelling was very charming and entertaining, it only made Tsuna ask for more stories. Of course, this caused Rebron to rudely cut in to gloat about himself and his own feats. Fon would act as if it didn't affect him but his tales about his dangerous adventures and secret missions said otherwise. It was really amusing, that's why she kept asking for more stories. 

Fon had such a gentle presence, it made Tsuna relax completely. 

He had a calm personality, but she knew he could be cunning if he wanted; if his way of laughing at Reborn while not really laughing was saying something. It was good to know there were people who can rile Reborn so easily.

"It's getting late" Tsuna looked up to see the sky turning orange "I should probably go. Need to make sure I'm not missing any homework for tomorrow"

"Yes, I apologize for taking quite some of your time, Sawada-san" Fon nodded at her.

"Please, call me Tsuna. And it was really nice meeting you" Tsuna smiled and turned to I-pin "And you too. If you need a place to stay next time, you can stay with us"

"I thank you for that. I'm afraid I will have to ask you a little favour" Fon told her "I’m embarking on a dangerous mission and won’t be able to look after her. If it's not much trouble, can she stay with you?” 

"Yes, of course, she’s welcomed Tsuna shrugged "My home is opened for you as well if you don't have a place to stay"

“No vacancy” Reborn immediately shut the idea. 

"Thank you, Tsunayuuki-san, but I must part tonight" Fon said, ignoring Reborn’s animosity. 

"It was nice meeting you" Tsuna smiled as she stood up and turned to look at I-pin gathering a small travelling bag “Are you ready?” 

“Yes!” Was her eager response. Tsuna wasn’t really thinking when she offered the little girl to stay at her house, it was the polite thing to do, her mother had raised her that way. But inviting someone who can literally explode to her home, where another explosive little kid was currently living was like adding gas to the fire. She can only hope for the best. “Let's go, then. I will see you at home Reborn"

"See ya, Master!" I-pin waved, making Fon wave back.

"Be a good girl, I-pin. I will see you soon"

"Hai!"

"It's a shame," Fon said after a minute of watching them go "For such a pure heart to fall into the Mafia's hands. Pity"

"What's your real reason for coming?" Reborn asked with his arms crossed. Tsuna’s status was meant to be a secret until she can claim the title - or until Reborn gave the OK to Vongola - but people were starting to find out without his control and he didn't like it. 

"I just wanted to see how you were dealing with a teenage girl" Reborn had to hold back a snarl at the other’s amusement and was inches away from shooting him but Fon had long since gotten used to the hitman’s sour moods so his glare was not effective. "Have you talked with the others?"

"Why would I do that?" 

"Don't be like that Reborn, you need to socialize with your colleagues every now and then" Fon mocked him with a gentle voice, making the hitman scoff, but seeing as he wasn’t aiming his gun at him Fon changed back to the previous topic. "So? What is your impression on her?”

"She is a stubborn, good-for-nothing tsundere girl" Reborn crossed his arms "But I will make a Boss out of her"

"You sound so sure of yourself, as always. It's good to see you haven't changed much, old friend" Fon smiled.

"I can say the same to you. What was that all about your heroic adventures?" Reborn asked with a scowl.

"Sawada-san was the one who asked for them" Fon told him merrily, making Reborn's scowl deepen. This is why he hated being associated with that group; he always loses his patience with them and Tsuna was a fool to fall for the charm of this one. A sudden gust of wind made him pause his internal fuming, and he looked up to see the grey sky running in waves.

"The sky was orange just a minute ago" Fon said with a little frown as he too stared at the dusty monochromatic clouds "What a bad omen. This usually means the calm before a storm"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"So, this makes Reborn, Bianchi, Lambo and I-pin" Tsuna counted before looking down at the girl in her arms, who was blushing slightly at being carried "Don't worry, I'm sure my mother won't mind you staying"

"Sorry, for trouble" I-pin said with a bit of regret in her voice.

"It’ll be fine" Tsuna cheered her, but mentally she just prayed - really, really prayed - that I-pin wouldn’t activate her exploding timer on her house or at least, knowing her bad luck, while her mother was around. Seeing her house approaching in view, she slowed down so that the girl could take a good view in case she gets lost "Well, this is it"

“你的房子非常漂亮” I-pin said in her native language as she stared at the humble house. Tsuna didn’t understand a word, but she could guess it was a nice or polite saying. Nodding to herself, she walked towards the door.

"Mom, I'm back!" She went inside, closed the door and set I-pin on the floor to remove her shoes. "We… we have a new resident..."

"Ara?" Nana came from the kitchen to greet them and looked at the little girl hiding behind her daughter's legs with curiosity "And who might this be?"

"I-pin!" I-pin bowed, making Nana giggle.

"Her guardian is a friend of Reborn, he’s going away on a business trip and couldn't bring I-pin, so I suggested…" Tsuna trailed off, yeah; she never did ask her mother if Bianchi or Lambo or I-pin could stay. 

"Tsu-chan is so kind" Nana smiled at her daughter and then turned to look at I-pin "Hello, welcome! Make yourself at home" 

"Xièxiè" I-pin thanked in Chinese, making Nana giggle. 

"Ah, this takes me back when Tsu-chan was a little and babble thinks in Italian"

"Mom!" Tsuna groaned. Her mother then offered to carry Ipin to the kitchen and after a minute of blushing, stammering and Tsuna panicking in case she exploded, her mother won the little girl over and so they went to the kitchen where Bianchi was reading a magazine on the table. Tsuna barely had time to step into the doorframe when she felt something flying her way. 

"Baka-Tsuna!" She tensed and with newfound reflexes, caught Lambo, who threw himself from the stairs towards her.

"Lambo!" She grabbed him in her arms as she swayed a little to keep her balance "Stop jumping on me like that, you can get hurt"

"Ne, ne, do you have candy? I want grape candy!" Lambo laughed, making Tsuna sigh.

"I will give you candy after dinner, okay?" Tsuna walked towards the kitchen where I-pin was introducing herself to Bianchi "Here, you need to meet someone"

"Eh? Someone? Is Lambo-sama getting a lackey?!" Lambo asked with stars in his eyes, making Tsuna sigh, again.

"She is not your lackey" She set Lambo on the table, making him face I-pin and in an instant, both of them stepped back in shock.

"Ah!/Gupyaa!" Both of them pointed at each other "It's the one-tailed monster!/broccoli monster!"

"Oi!" Tsuna scolded them.

"Baka-tsuna, she can't stay here! She tried to explode me!" Lambo turned to Tsuna with a big pout, stomping his foot and pointing at I-pin with childish hostility. Tsuna didn’t know what he was talking about, but apparently, her mother did. 

"Now, now, Lambo-kun, that was an accident and I-pin apologized. She needs a place to stay, so let's get along" Nana told him with a gentle voice, the one that wasn’t exactly an order but always made you want to follow.

"So she is leaving tomorrow?"

"No, she is staying for more than a day" Bianchi leaned her chin on her hand and looked at him with boredom "So you better get along brat"

"It will be fun, ne?" Nana asked with a smile, making I-pin shyly look at her and nodded.

"No!" Lambo shouted and shook his head "No, it's not!" Saying that; he jumped and ran out.

"Lambo!" Tsuna called him but he was already out of the house "I'll go get him. I-pin, it's not your fault, okay?"

Tsuna left her mother and Bianchi to console I-pin, and maybe that was a bad idea in case Ipin went boom, but now her other priority was stopping a kid from vandalising the streets or getting lost. Kids, she didn’t know how to deal with them and what compelled her to allow them to stay was a mystery. As she ran, she shivered when a cold breeze with tiny drops of water hit her face. 

"Great, it's going to rain!" Tsuna cursed "It was sunny five minutes ago!"

So she kept running, not really knowing yet at the same time knowing exactly where to go. In a few minutes, she managed to see a black spot running towards the local park so she slowed down. She waited until Lambo went inside the slide in the shape of a turtle before she approached it cautiously in case he ran away again, hoping that she could fit in there too. 

Amazingly, she did. She crawled inside and sat next to Lambo, who was turning away from her.

"That was rude and you know it" She told him after a minute of silence.

"I don't care"

"I thought big boys didn't cry" She teased him.

"I'm not crying!" He shouted and whipped his eyes.

"No one's replacing you"

"But why did you bring her!" Lambo asked with a broken voice "She is a girl! And she tried to explode me! Mama will like her better than me!"

"She doesn't have a home and couldn't afford a hotel forever. And I told you, no one is replacing you"

"Lies" the boy sniffed. "They all lie! Mama will soon get tired of me, just like my other Mama did"

"Lambo" Tsuna called him softly but he ignored her, making the brunette sigh. "Lambo, I talked with your father." In an instant, the boy's form tensed and all sobbing stopped. Thanks to Dino, she managed to contact the Bovino famiglia in secret, and after a long discussion of threats and agreements that worked surprisingly well without revealing her sudden title, an agreement was made after she learned what was happening there. "Your mother is sick. You have to go back"

"No!" Lambo shouted again.

"Lambo, she is not tired of you. She never was. She was really sick when you left, that's why you couldn't see her as often. Don't you want to see her?" Tsuna asked as gently as she, knowing it was a sensitive topic for the mind of a child.

"I do! I do but... I can't!" Lambo sniffed again.

"Lambo" Tsuna patted his back "I'm not throwing you out of the house. Mom won't replace you just because I-pin is a girl and the same age. Just like killing Reborn won't make your mother feel better" She didn’t know the gravity of the illness or if there was a cure, but for his father to throw him out of the house just so his wife could rest was cruel. She was sure that no mother would want that. "You have to be by her side, just sit beside her and tell her your adventures and your plans for the future, nothing more. And if you want to stay with us, Mom will always welcome you with open arms. You are free to stay here"

"You promise?" Lambo asked after a minute of silence.

"I promise" Tsuna smiled at him "Besides, being the big brother it's a great responsibility. I can't do that job, so I need someone strong and brave to take care of I-pin" She looked at him with innocent curiosity "Do you know someone who can help me with that?"

"You don't need some lackeys, I will do it because Lambo-sama is the great Lambo-sama"

"Then I will leave it to you" Tsuna nodded with a smile.

"Come with me"

"Eh?" Tsuna blinked.

"Italia!" Lambo exclaimed excitedly "Let's go together! Then, you can meet my mama and we can tell her about my adventures together!"

"I would love to, but… I can't go to Italy" Tsuna told him softly.

"Why?"

"It's… dangerous for me"

"But I will protect you" Tsuna could only smile at Lambo's innocence.

"I know you will. But, my mom will get really upset if I go there… I promise I’ll go with you another time, okay?"

"Fine…" Lambo said with a pout, making Tsuna chuckle and pat his head.

"Try to get along with I-pin, alright? I'm sure you will become friends. And you can teach her how to speak Japanese and Italian"

"She doesn't know how to talk?" Lambo snickered.

"She speaks Chinese, and a little Japanese so a little help will do good" Tsuna rolled her eyes at him.

"Of course, Lambo-sama is the best at speaking Japanese and Italian, I will succeed."

"Alright, Lambo-sama, I will leave it to you" Tsuna teased him gently "Come on, let's go home and apologize to Mom"

"Yes!" All tears forgotten, Lambo ran out of the playground game.

"Wait, Lambo don't run! It's dangerous!" Tsuna sprang to her feet and followed him, almost hitting her head in the process. The rain breeze was still falling, making the ground wet, sticky and slippery. Any accident could happen if one wasn't careful and just like the blue sky can turn grey, so could moments in life.

To Tsuna, everything happened in slow motion. Lambo was crossing the road when a strong burst of wind appeared, making him trip and fall to the ground with a yell, right in front of an incoming car skidding to stop as the driver saw him. 

A voice called amongst the air as if there was someone running beside her when no one was really there, but there was no time to pause and question because she felt the familiar burning sensation in her forehead spreading; an impact, and the burst of fire that swallowed all panic and horrified feelings. One moment she was running with all her might, the next she was on the ground at the other side of the street, with Lambo's shaky form in her arms.

"Tsuna!" And then Reborn was at her side in an instant, but she couldn’t hear him.

"You are okay" Tsuna murmured as she cradled Lambo tighter against her chest "Oh god, you are okay"

"T-Tsuna" Lambo shakily patted her cheek, feeling her distress "I'm okay"

"Y-Yeah" Tsuna choked on her breath.

"Tsuna" Reborn called again, but Tsuna was trapped in a swirl of emotions.

"Oh god, y-you could have died… you could… I just- and I… h-he could-

"Tsuna, I need you to breathe" Reborn made her look at him by placing a hand on the one still gripping Lambo. "Breathe, okay. The brat is safe, you saved him" 

She nodded, but it still took her a while not to choke on her own breath as she tried to calm down and reassure herself that everything was fine.

"Good work" Reborn said.

"Y-yeah…" Tsuna shuddered and closed her eyes, trying to calm her still racing heart.

"Are you alright, Tsunayuuki-san? You almost got a panic attack" Fon asked worried, having observed the whole ordeal but not wanting to step in in case the girl broke down. Having experience with I-pin, he knew that a stranger trying to reach someone’s mind when it was starting to drift away wasn’t going to help so he let Reborn do it and opted to stay back and search for any injuries which luckily, there were none. Just the feeling of shock. 

"I'm ’kay" She murmured as she finally released her tight grip on Lambo but the little kid didn’t jump away from her arms. 

"Are you alright!? I'm so sorry! Do you guys need to go to the hospital!?" The man who was driving, once he managed to stop the car and avoided a collision, ran in distress towards them to see if they needed help. 

"We are fine"

"I’m sorry! I didn't see the kid until the last moment" The man bowed in apology, distressed and what could have happened. 

"It's okay, you tried to slow down and as you can see, no one is hurt" Fon reassured him "They'll be fine, they are just in shock"

"I'm deeply sorry, can I take you home?” 

“No need, but your offer is greatly appreciated” 

Once Tsuna managed to calm down, found her voice and reassured the worried man that they were fine, he left with a final apology and warning for them to head home before the rain turned into a storm. As all this happened, she decided to stay in the ground for a little more until her legs regained their strength to move. For the same reason, Lambo decided to stay in Tsuna's embrace.

She was still out of it, not processing or realizing what the hell happened nor caring, all that mattered was that Lambo was okay. Reborn, however, didn’t and he took notice of everything, including the fact that she was still wearing that atrocious pajama set.

"Tsunayuuki-san, if you let me, I could teach you some meditation techniques. They are some respiratory exercises that help calm the mind and body" Fon offered.

"Thank you, but-

"She's busy"

"Reborn! Don't decide things for me" Tsuna glared weakly at him, before turning to Fon "Thank you, Fon-san, I will think about it and let you know"

"You can ask Reborn to send me a letter" Fon nodded back at her, not wanting to push her further.

"Come on Baka-Tsuna, let's go home" Lambo tugged on her hoodie.

"Yeah"  She stood slowly and started to walk home with Lambo in her arms.

The two babies watched her go in silence. It was pure luck that they arrived on time, Reborn and Fon were about to part ways after a snippy conversation the hitman wanted to ignore, when they heard the panicked scream of the brunette and ran towards her in an instant with Reborn leading the way.

Fon had watched how the brunette ran in desperation to reach the fallen little boy in the middle of the road, had seen how the car was trying to stop but due to the wet ground, skidded. He witnessed how the hitman shot her without hesitation and to his ultimate awe, he felt the explosion of flames, so raw and entrancing appearing in a flash. 

It was over before he could grasp a semblance of the feeling it left him. And a second later, the brunette was with the little child on the other side of the street, safe and sound. No fire or wounds to be seen.

"Was that the Dying Will Mode?" Fon asked. Only knowing the basics of the dying will bullet, but never having seen it in action.

"No, it was different" Reborn said mostly to himself, but Fon heard him and raised an eyebrow at the pensive frown of the hitman. It's not every day that the hitman was caught off guard, so this was quite a sight.  He could clearly see the curiosity and doubt in the other's face, but there was also a dark gleam of starvation in them, and oh, he could finally put a word to his previous sentiment.

How peculiar, he thought to himself. 

**.**

**.**

**.**

The rain breeze was still falling the next morning.

When they returned home, Lambo only apologized to Nana, who just smiled at him and reassured him that everything was fine. Lambo and I-pin didn't talk again that night, it seemed they were childishly ignoring one another, but they let them be. After dinner and a warm bath, Tsuna collapsed on her bed and for the misfortune of the hitman, Tsuna managed to fall asleep before he could question her. Seems like talking with Fon and the shock from earlier drained her completely.

Which was good, she had a peaceful night.

When it was time to go to school, Tsuna wore Dino's gift jacket smugly, ignoring Reborn's roll of eyes and Bianchi's amusement. She patted the kids in the head on their way to breakfast and went out of the house to meet Gokudera at the gate so that they could walk to school together.

She was planning on helping Lambo visit Italy soon, unfortunately, there was a storm forecast that would last a week there, so she didn’t want to risk it. That and, the moment she mentioned Italy, Reborn immediately refused and didn't let her explain. As the hitman still hasn't returned her phone and laptop, she was debating on stealing Bianchi's phone to make a long-distance call to contact Dino, wondering if perhaps he could use his private jet to pick up Lambo - he has a private jet; stupid, rich Dino - and to keep an eye on him there too.

School was boring, she spent half of them doodling in her notebook what seemed to be three flowers with seven petals each in a beautiful garden. She wasn’t worried of getting in trouble, because Gokudera was doodling too, although his were more code-symbols than actual doodles and she has been doing better in all the subjects, so getting distracted wasn’t all that bad.

Well, all subjects except in math. Nezu-sensei seems to harbour a grudge against her, which made the Italian bomber loudly argue with him in the middle of class, creating a ruckus and making the demonic prefect of the disciplinary committee to come in and bite some people to death, including her. 

When school was over, Reborn surprised her by cancelling their training because he had an urgent matter to attend but she was not going to argue with that. He did order her to go home directly and not by herself, which made her suspicious, but before she could ask the hitman disappeared as soon as he came. He was more like a ninja with all of his disappearing acts and costumes, she thought dryly. 

"See Juudaime, Reborn-san does care about you"

"Don't let him deceive you" Tsuna murmured, somehow knowing that he was going to double their training just for cancelling this one. As they were about to leave school, they were stopped by a student from their class approaching them with a scowl, not wanting to be associated with either of them. 

"Hey Gokudera, Akiyama-sensei is looking for you" He said.

"What!?" Gokudera barked.

"Don't glare at me, she said it was important!" The guy couldn’t quite hide his flinch and ran away from the angry Italian before more could be said.

"You should go"

"But, I need to walk you home"

"I'll be fine on my own"

"Reborn-san will kill me if he finds out, and it is my duty as your right-hand man to protect you!"

"I will walk her home"

"Absolutely not" Gokudera didn't need to turn around to face the one who talked. He simply crossed his arms and scowled.

"Yamamoto? Don't you have baseball practice?" Tsuna asked the baseball ace as he walked towards them, ignoring Gokudera's black aura and rubbing his neck.

"Second and third years are having a mocking match so there's not much to do" He smiled at her and turned to see Gokudera "I heard Akiyama-sensei yelling for you, so I came to look for you too. What did you do, failed the test?"

"Shut up, like you are one to talk!" Gokudera glared at him, making Yamamoto laugh, unaffected.

"Gokudera-kun" Tsuna crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look. Gokudera was going to argue, but Tsuna narrowed her eyes slightly and made him swallow his words.

"Grrhh. Fine" Gokudera huffed and glared at Yamamoto "If something happens to her, I swear I will end you"

"Ma, ma~ Gokudera is always so dramatic" Yamamoto laughed as Gokudera ran inside, students making a path for him, not wanting to be in the way of his angry glare.

"Let's just go" Tsuna sighed.

They started to walk to her house, Tsuna ignoring the jealous glares of some girls as Yamamoto was telling her of the new menu of the sushi restaurant and how she and Gokudera should try it. The conversation was light, until it died and they fell into an awkward silence. When they arrived at the brunette’s house, neither of them moved or knew what to do, most likely, they were waiting for the other to speak first. 

It was Tsuna who broke the silence.

"Do you… do you want to sit down?" She pointed towards the front porch.

"Yeah" Yamamoto smiled and they both walked until they reached the door and sat down on the stone steps, with the roof protecting them from the cold breeze. "So?"

"You don't have to do this, you know"

"Huh?" Yamamoto looked at Tsuna in confusion.

"Being with us if you don't want to" Tsuna told him without looking at him "You don't own me anything, so you don't have to stick with me if you have other things to do. Please don't do that"

"I wasn't needed for practice, honest" Yamamoto reassured her and leaned back, his gaze towards the sky "At first I did want to repay you for talking sense into me, but that thought lasted only a minute" Yamamoto sighed with a bitter smile "You and Gokudera seem to have a lot of fun. Both of you don't treat me like everyone else, as if I’m just a popular guy. And maybe I did skip practice once or twice just hang out with you, but it was my choice"

"Why do you want to hang out with me?" Tsuna asked in a whisper "I treat you like I do everyone else…"

"Well…" Yamamoto rubbed his neck "You are a pretty amazing girl. There really is no reason as to why, I just want to. And for the record, I did try befriending back when you were new at Namimori Junior. But you pushed me away, kinda like you're doing it now"

"I was…" Tsuna sighed and looked away "I am, going through some hard times. I don't want to drag people in it and get them hurt."

"Sometimes the best way to conquer your fears and worries is to face them directly, but doing it alone is not the best way"

"And what if I can't? Trust… What if I can't?" Tsuna whispered, making Yamamoto look at her and stare at her softly.

"I guess you have to try and find out" Yamamoto smiled at her and Tsuna looked at him and saw emotions so pure in his eyes.

"It won't be easy" She murmured, breaking their staring contest.

"Well, that's life, right?" Yamamoto laughed.

"I guess you are right"

They stayed like that for a few more minutes, simply enjoying each other's company and the soft breeze. The silence between them wasn’t awkward anymore, it was calm and relaxed, and it somehow made Tsuna's worries wash away.

"I've been meaning to ask you something..." Yamamoto said sheepishly after some time. 

"It's not a love confession, right?" Tsuna asked with a teasing smile.

"Why, finally fallen for my charms?" He smirked and leaned towards her.

"As if" Tsuna giggled and pushed him away, making Yamamoto laugh. Once they calmed down, the baseball ace looked at her with a sincere smile.

"Do you want to be my friend?"

"I-"

Before Tsuna could answer, a strong and loud thunder resounded with so much power that made the two of them jump, the windows to rattle and the flower pots near the entrance to shake a little. Tsuna could even hear Lambo's scream of fright from the inside of the house after the loud rumble in the sky subsided.

"H-Holy, that scared me" Tsuna breathed out, looking at the sky that was getting darker and the breeze that was getting heavy with water.

"Yeah, and deaf me" Yamamoto rubbed his ears.

"You should probably go home before it gets worse" Tsuna suggested with worry, still remembering how frightened she was yesterday when Lambo almost got run over.

"Good idea" Yamamoto stood up, stretching before turning to see Tsuna with determination "I'll walk you to school tomorrow, so don't leave without me" Tsuna stood up, but before she could talk the idea down Yamamoto beat her, he grinned and quickly walked away with a cheerful "Bye!"

Tsuna just stared at his retreating figure and sighed. Shaking her head, she went inside. Lambo and I-pin ran towards her, saying how the sky was about to fall, Lambo blaming I-pin and I-pin saying that it was a bad omen. Tsuna reassured them both that nothing bad was going to happen, and they both seemed to believe her so they ran towards the living room where they had been watching cartoons on the TV. 

She greeted her mother before going towards her room, and it was only when she collapsed in her bed did she realize that she didn't give an actual answer to Yamamoto. Grumbling, she changed into warmer clothes and rubbed her forehead. What was she going to say, anyway? She couldn’t remember if she had an actual answer before she was interrupted by the thunder. Good timing.

The pitter-patter of the rain made her look at her window. Did he arrive home safely? Did Gokudera arrive at his apartment safely too? Should she call them, no, wait, she didn’t have a phone and why was she so paranoid about it? Huffing silently, she was about to lie down in her bed again when she saw a black spot approaching through the glass.

"You’re back" Tsuna rushed to open the window. Reborn jumped inside, huffing and shaking the water from his waterproof suit. Leon shook his body before jumping and crawling on Tsuna's pillow in search of warmth. "What made you leave in such a hurry?"

"Noting for you to worry about"

"Hm?" Tsuna crossed her arms and stared at him. There was something definitely going on. Something… Something was not right, there was a sinking feeling clawing at her the more she thought about it. 

"Just do as I say, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn sighed, not wanting to discuss things with the brunette yet and gave her a glare when she didn't yield her stare.

"Fine, fine, I won't ask" Tsuna raised her arms in sight of surrender, making Reborn nod in victory, and for her to roll her eyes.

"Dinner time!" Nana's voice called from downstairs.

"Let's go" He said, walking towards the door.

And just as Tsuna was about to follow him, there was a strange sensation coursing through her body that made her stumble. She felt dizzy, like there was a cloud inside her head fogging her thoughts. Her body felt heavy and her skin tingled with discomfort as if wanting to break free. Millions of colours flashed across her vision before they became just one dark colour that blinded her into darkness.

There was no pain as she fell to the ground with a thud.

"Dame-tsuna" Reborn sighed, shaking his head in disappointment at her clumsy nature before walking out of the room.

She didn't know how much time had passed. Seconds? A minute? Was she dreaming? No, wait, she was awake. But what happened? She didn't remember falling. Standing up with a groan, she rubbed a hand over her sore nose and started to walk slowly towards the kitchen, where she could finally hear the sound of jolly commotion happening there. Must be the lack of sleep, she concluded. 

But as soon as she crossed her door, she paused as she felt something warm running down her fingers.

"Eh?" she let go of her nose to see her fingers stained in red. 

_ A bloody nose, how lame!  _ Tsuna groaned in her mind and quickly went to the bathroom to wash and clean herself.  _ Reborn must never know or I'm never going to hear the end of this. _

Outside; the storm had begun to fall.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!   
> Leave a comment, I love seeing what you think of the story!


	8. Daily day gone wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my beautiful people! Thanks for the kudos!  
> Have a great day~

**.**

**.**

**.**

"It was like, I was there but at the same time I wasn’t, you know? I was walking through this hallway but no matter how much I tried to raise my gaze, all I could see were the shadows on the floor. And there were whispers too, I couldn't understand what they were saying, but it was like the ‘dream me’ understood, because I stopped in front of this door on fire. I wanted to run but couldn’t move but the ‘me’ in there wasn’t scared and then the door started to open and poof… I woke up"

"And then poof" Reborn muttered and finished writing in a small notebook "And how does that make you feel?"

"Sacred? I don’t know. Can you be aware you’re dreaming?”

“Sounds like lucid dreaming”

“But I couldn't move. It was scary but sad and it's so frustrating because I don't know why" Tsuna groaned as she placed an arm over her eyes.

The night had been going smoothly, she finished all her dinner and went to sleep without any surprise attacks from the hitman. But not three hours later, she woke up gasping and shaking from a nightmare, if you could call it that. The hitman was at her side in an instance, and after a few threats and glares, he made her lie back down and tell him what she saw.

This wouldn’t be the first night the brunette woke up, but it was the first when she remained awake after a dream so the hitman took his chance.

It seems like sleeping pills were not affecting the brunette anymore, he thought with a frown. Maybe this was a serious problem and a specialist was needed. Maybe she just had a wild imagination and the pressure of the mafia was finally catching up to her or maybe… Maybe, he wondered, she was remembering something she had forgotten.

But how to be sure? It was a delicate subject and the brunette was fragile enough when it came to her nightmares. He couldn't just beat this out of her; he wasn't that insensible, really he wasn't …

Which just leaves him with the last option. If they are not nightmares or lost memories, then it must be the famous Vongola Hyper Intuition… but that wasn't possible. The brunette was just thirteen years old; her intuition couldn't be so developed. Right?

"Reborn?" Tsuna whispered.

"What is it?"

"I don't know, I just…." She sighed in desperation "I don't know what this is and why I feel like this. But I don't like it" Reborn didn't reprimand her when her voice cracked at the end and kept listening "I… I have the feeling that everything is about to change… and that makes me want to cry. Am I crazy?"

"Yes" His sincerity made her grab the pillow and throw it at him, but he dodged expertly and returned it with full force, hitting the brunette's face and making her groan. "Get some sleep Dame-Tsuna. If this continues, you are going to the hospital"

"They are just dreams" Tsuna mumbled as she hugged her pillow, trying to get comfortable in her bed to sleep once again.

"As your tutor, I can't let foolish dreams interfere with your studies and training"

"Then, stop training me to become a mafia boss and the dreams will go away"

"Good try, now go to sleep"

Tsuna murmured something inaudible and sighed on her pillow as she closed her eyes. Once her breathing had levelled out, Reborn returned to his little hammock where Leon was tiredly blinking up at him. He didn't know if this situation was bad or not. If her intuition was really active and was warning her of something, the new question would be of what.

How troublesome. 

Was it too soon to ask for vacations?

**.**

**.**

**.**

"You can do it, Sawada!"

"Easy, easy"

The students were surrounding a cooking station, some of them were watching in expectation while many of them were covering themselves with books as shields. The teacher was almost biting her nails, her eyes watching the brunette like a hawk to its prey. This was the moment, they all thought. It was a live-or-die situation.

The brunette gulped and nodded to herself. Sweat trickled down his face as her tongue licked her dry lips in concentration. She could do this, she has to do this. Her hands trembled a little, but her eyes never wavered. She took a deep breath and her fingers moved.

There was a loud crack as everyone else held their breaths and watched the yellow yolk fall into the frying pan.

One

Two

Three seconds.

They all started in dread as the egg started to char and soon, black smoke appeared.

"Take cover!" Someone yelled and they all screamed and scrambled to hide underneath the tables. A small explosion occurred, the egg bursting into flames and burning the pan.

"Water! Where's the water?" Someone yelled over the chaos. Students were running around the room in panic, some opening the windows to let the smoke out and others filling glasses with water to extinguish the fire.

"It was an egg, Sawada! One egg! How could it burst into flames!" The teacher yelled in hysterics.

"I'm sorry I'm a failure as a human!" Tsuna cried, her hands gripping her crispy hair in distress.

After a few minutes of running around and preventing another fire, everything thankfully calmed down without further destruction. The teacher dismissed everyone and they all left in fear of another catastrophe or worse, of the demon prefect appearing.

"It's Dame-Tsuna day" A guy mocked and his group of friends laughed with him.

"How lame"

"Shut up bastards! How dare you make fun of Juudaime!" Gokudera glared at them with hate.

"Maa, Maa~ it's not like all of us succeeded in making the dish" Yamamoto said.

"You say that, but yours was perfect! Just because you own a sushi shop" A guy sneered at him, but Yamamoto waved him off.

"Haha, I guess you are right"

"Sawada" Tsuna, who was walking with her head down and hiding between Gokudera and Yamamoto, stiffened. She sniffed a little and turned to walk towards the teacher with caution. Both boys looked at her with pity, knowing they had no power to help her with this and decided to wait outside.

"I'm going to fail this class, aren't I?" Tsuna asked with a small voice.

"I don't know what else to do" The teacher sighed tiredly "I have seen you, you do every step right, the right measurements, the right ingredients. But when you cook, I don't know what happens"

"N-Neither do I" 

"I have talked with your other teachers. You are just getting behind in math and home economics, but both are important subjects if you want to pass grade"

"What should I do? I swear, I'm not joking with food, I just… I'm useless in the kitchen" Tsuna gripped her skirt and looked at the teacher with distress.

"I can see that" The teacher deadpanned, but sighed when the brunette flinched. She raised an arm and patted the brunette's shoulder. "Tell you what, I know you are a hard worker … sometimes …so I will change your class"

"What?" Tsuna stared at her confused. The teacher grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something. When she finished, she handed it to the brunette.

"Give this to Utako-sensei after classes are over, I will talk to her during lunch. You will help in the library for the rest of the course and I will count it as your H&E grade, so you don't need to come back here"

"Really?! Thank you so much!" Tsuna was so happy she could almost hug her teacher but restrained herself in fear of her changing her mind.

"You can go now" The teacher dismissed her and Tsuna skipped out of the classroom.

"How did it go, Juudaime?" Gokudera asked as soon as she walked out of the room.

"I'm being transferred to library duties!" Tsuna told them, folding the paper neatly and putting it safely inside one of her knee-high socks for safekeeping.

"I think that's for the best, Tsuna" Yamamoto told her with a smile, finding it really funny - in a good way - at how terrible the girl is in the kitchen.

"Shut up!" Both Tsuna and Gokudera scowled at him, but that only made the baseball ace laugh.

"Little animal" Tsuna stiffened again and slowly turned back to see Hibari in all his glory with his tonfas out and glaring at her "For burning and vandalizing school properties, I will bite you to death"

"Wait, Hibari-san, it was an accident!" Tsuna waved her hands in front of her and stepped back, only to collide with something and feel a strong arm wrap around her waist. "What the-

"What do you want, bastard? Juudaime didn't do it on purpose!" Gokudera glared at him and was going to step forward to punch him, but a grip grabbed his midsection and hoisted him up "Oi, let go of me, baseball freak!"

"Maa, Maa, let's just run!" Yamamoto ran away, carrying both Tsuna and Gokudera.

"OI!" Gokudera tried to free himself but only succeeded in getting his arms free.

"Yamamoto, I'm wearing a skirt!" Tsuna screeched in horror, her hands tugging at her skirt, despite knowing that she was wearing black shorts underneath.

"You herbivores are dead!" Hibari exclaimed as he ran after them, tonfas glinting.

"Wait, Yamamoto!" Tsuna yelled but he merely laughed and ignored her. Tsuna turned back and sent a pleading look towards the prefect "Kyoya, stop it! It was an accident! I swe-Gokudera put away that dynamite! No! Yamamoto, watch out!"

She shut her eyes, fearing for the upcoming collision with a wall but Yamamoto manoeuvred them expertly and didn't lose his balance as he turned. Gokudera hit his head on the wall though.

"YOU BASTARD! LET ME DOWN!" He spat in anger. One hand was holding a stick of dynamite while the other was punching the baseball's ace shoulders. Students who were out in the hallway looked at them as if they had a death wish, and only managed to glue themselves to the walls to avoid a collision.

"EXTREME! What a youthful marathon!" Ryohei appeared out of nowhere, having seen them running around and he couldn't help but join the fun. Hibari growled and his glare intensified.

"This is not a fun marathon, senpai!" Tsuna yelled at him, but she was ignored again.

"You are loud, herbivores!" Hibari threw one of his tonfas, Tsuna paled and patted frantically at Yamamoto's back. He got the message and ducked in time. Gokudera got hit again though.

"That was close" Yamamoto laughed.

"EXTREME! That's the spirit!" Ryohei yelled loudly, punching the air.

"Kyoya, wait! Gokudera, NO dynamites! Yamamoto, left! Turn left! Senpai, do NOT provoke Hibari-san!" Tsuna yelled and pleaded to no use. Yamamoto laughed, Ryohei shouted in excitement, Hibari glared more and threw his other tonfa, and Gokudera got hit again. Said bomber had enough and yelled, finally throwing his dynamite at Hibari, who dodged and let the bomb explode behind him, not caring if Ryohei got hurt.

"I will bite you all to death"

"Bring it, you bastard!"

"Maa, maa~!"

"Why is this happening to me!?" Tsuna screamed in hysterics.

From afar, hidden in a secret compartment, Reborn watched this while enjoying a warm cup of espresso.

"Oh, the youth" He said in amusement.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I hate you all" Tsuna grumbled with her arms sprawled and face lying down on her desk. 

"Cheer up, Tsuna. We are alive" Yamamoto smiled, sipping a can of orange juice while he rubbed his sore shoulder.

"This is all your fault, idiot" Gokudera groaned, leaning back in his desk with his head thrown back and with a cold can of soda on his forehead to soothe a headache. He was too tired to even move to glare at the being in front of him.

Yes, they were bitten to death.

After the no-too-small explosion, Yamamoto used the smokescreen to escape to the rooftop. Whether Ryohei followed them or not, they didn't stop to wait and see. He let the two teens down and it wasn't until the door was locked that they managed to sigh in relief at the silence. 

Then Gokudera started kicking the baseball ace in the ribs, yelling and bickering while Tsuna was complaining and scolding him. He laughed. They managed to calm down and looked at each other with stupid amusement once the adrenaline had died down.

Then the door was slammed open, and Hibari walked in. There was no mercy.

Bruises and cuts, tears and blood, and a week full of detention were what they got.

They were lucky they could still walk to return back to class, better yet, even walk at all. As soon as they got to their classroom, they collapsed on their desks, groaning. They pretty much spent history class groaning and dozing off until the bell sounded, signalling it was lunchtime. And so, here they were.

The other students left them alone, only whispering and hoping to never end up like them. Tsuna really wanted to skip school and go home to sleep, but she didn't dare risk her life.

"Aw, he fell asleep" Yamamoto crooned at the sight of Gokudera sleeping in the position he was a few minutes ago, with the can of soda in his forehead and all, making Tsuna snort softly. Yeah, deep down she admitted that the Italian bomber was cute when sleeping. It was peaceful.

"Give him a break, I know you rile him on purpose" Tsuna told Yamamoto with a knowing look.

"Whatever do you mean?" The baseball ace looked at her with innocence, making Tsuna roll her eyes. "Are you badly hurt?" Yamamoto asked after some minutes of silence.

"Nah, I have had worse" Tsuna turned to look at him "The question is, are you okay? Your arm doesn't hurt?" His broken arm had finally healed and his cast had been taken off. But the doctor had ordered to take it easy on the first few days.

"Nop" He flexed his arm to prove the point "It feels good to be back in action"

"That's good. So please don't do stupid things as getting yourself hurt again" Tsuna deadpanned. Their relationship had gone from awkward to a nice one in the last few days. She wasn't pushing him away, but neither was letting him in completely. Yamamoto seemed to take it as a challenge and decided to worm himself into her little circle of trust and friendship at any opportunity.

"Come see me at the game tomorrow" Yamamoto suddenly asked her, making Tsuna blink.

"I don't know if I can, I will have library duties and Reborn stupid training in a mountain" Tsuna rubbed her eyes, still lying face down on her desk. "Not to mention, detention"

"Please, just for an hour or so. You have been training so hard you deserve some rest. Plus, you and Gokudera must come, I need you guys to send me good vibes and I will dedicate a home run just for you. So you have to go, I will call it ‘the tsuna roll!’" he exclaimed, waving his arms as if simulating swinging an invisible bat.

Tsuna looked at him as if he was crazy before her lips curled and giggled "What's with that ridiculous name!?"

"Well, it made you laugh! So I will do it"

Tsuna snorted and shook her head in amusement. Really, what else could she do?

"Okay, I'll try" She told him "I want to see the ‘tsuna-roll’" His only response was a victory grin. Tsuna shook her head again and closed her eyes, ready to join Gokudera into dreamland even if there were only some minutes left of lunchtime. 

But those minutes turned into an hour.

Tsuna was woken up by Kyoko, who was shaking her and telling her that it was time for their last subject of the day, Math, and if Nezu-sensei sees her sleeping again then he was going to fail her. Grimacing, she sat up yawning and rubbing her eyes. Behind her, she could hear Yamamoto waking the bomber up, who groaned and spat at him to shut up, which only made the baseball ace laugh.

Hana only sighed, murmuring about lazy monkeys and slapped the brunette's face softly when she saw said girl was about to lay her head back on the desk again, making Tsuna groan in disappointment.

"It's your own fault, seriously. You need to take care of your health and stop provoking Hibari-san"

"You think I do it on purpose?" Tsuna mumbled, her brain was slow and her mind felt foggy. It felt weird, like if she was still dreaming. Dreaming? What was she dreaming just now?

She didn't hear Hana's response of denial. _She frowned in concentration. That hallway stained with shadows and red._

She didn't hear Kyoko's giggling about seeking the prefect’s attention. _That door on fire._

Gokudera yelled something behind her, making Yamamoto laugh. _There was something, no, someone. She knows who it was, she knows..._

She didn't react when Nezu-sensei mocked her failing grades and the situation about the burnt eggs. _She simply narrowed her eyes in concentration. That person, what was it saying?_

**_na._ **

**_et._ **

**_e._ **

**_ut_ ** _._

_What?_

Everything around her seemed like a far off memory. She didn't hear the bell signalling classes were over, didn't feel Yamamoto's warm arm wrapping around her shoulder or Gokudera's hand on her back as they escorted her out of the room when classes were over. She was so out of it that she missed the heated glares of hate and jealousy aiming at her. _She knew it was going to happen. Happen? Happen what?_

"Dame-Tsuna, stop daydreaming" Like a bubble bursting in the air, Tsuna snapped back to reality. She blinked and looked around. School; right, she was at school. What was she thinking just now? Wait, what is that?

"Reborn" Tsuna deadpanned with narrowed eyes "What are you doing here? There? And dressed like a flower pot?"

"Gathering information" Answered the baby hitman dressed like a flowerpot who was sitting comfortably by a window. "You burned an egg, I see your reputation precedes you, Dame-Tsuna"

"Don't call me that" Tsuna pouted and crossed her arms "Anyway, it seems I will have library duties from now on, so I will leave home earlier and return a bit later"

"Don't worry, you will still have time for training" The hitman reassured her, much to her dismay.

"Why are you training her so hard?" Yamamoto asked in wonder, apparently not caring that he was talking to a baby wearing a flower pot costume in school.

"Idiot, you don't ask stupid questions!" Gokudera slapped him in the back, looking offended by his question.

"Because I want to" Reborn looked at the two boys with a gleam in his eyes "I advise for you two to do the same, or Dame-Tsuna will leave you behind"

"What are you going on about now?" Tsuna raised an eyebrow at him, missing the way both boys tensed for a second. But Reborn didn't and he smirked.

"Go home now" He dismissed the brunette "And Dame-Tsuna, once you are done, you wait for me or walk home with them. Do not go home by your own or I will increase your training, school day or not" The baby hitman threatened her, making Tsuna raise an eyebrow at the blackmail but before she could question him the hitman disappeared behind a secret compartment on the wall with a childish "bye-bye"

"Ha?" Tsuna stared incredulously before rubbing her face with annoyance "Really, what's with him?"

"Maa, maa~ he is just worried about you" Yamamoto told her.

"Right…"

"Well, I'm off. Gotta practice for tomorrow" Yamamoto grinned and looked at Tsuna "Remember, the game"

"Yes, Yes. Be careful, okay?"

"Tch, wasting Juudaime's time and making her worry" Gokudera grumbled with a glare, but Yamamoto smirked at him.

"You are also-

"No" The bomber's glare intensified.

"You will come anyway" The baseball ace shrugged in confidence, before turning to walk away "See you guys later"

"Seriously, why do we have to socialize with him?" Gokudera crossed his arms and huffed in annoyance as they started to walk through the hallways.

"I don't know, he is funny" Tsuna shrugged, rolling her eyes in amusement when she heard a 'he is not' whisper beside her. Really, this guy was more of a tsundere than she was, why was no one giving him a nickname? "Will you go to the game?"

"Might as well see him lose" He murmured, turning his face to glare at the wall and making Tsuna crack a smile. See, a tsundere.

“I need to stop at the library for a moment" Tsuna told him, ready to part ways with him.

"I will wait for you, Juudaime." The bomber -ever faithfully- walked beside her. Why wasn't she surprised? But it didn't mean she didn't like it.

"I don't want to take your time. Don't listen to Reborn"

"It's not because of Reborn!" Gokudera raised his voice, making Tsuna blink in surprise. The bomber gaped for a moment, also not realizing that he had done that before bowing his head "Forgive me, Juudaime. What I meant was, just because Reborn-san threatens you to walk home with us doesn't mean I don't want to walk you home. I do"

"Thank you" Because that was all she could say. _Why?_ She wondered mentally, but those words refused to leave her lips. "I just need to hand in the note, I won't take long" She reassured him before entering the school’s library.

"Yes!" The Italian saluted and watched her leave. Once she was out of sight, he lowered his eyes to the floor, wondering… Why did the brunette always seem to push people away? The few first times it happened, he spent sleepless nights thinking it was him, that there was something wrong with him, that he wasn't worth being near the amazing and gentle person the brunette really was.

But he kept quiet and observed, it was his duty to watch out for any danger around the girl, and he noted that it wasn't only him, it was with everyone. The brunette seemed to push any friendship attempt away from her, and if it wasn't working, then she would build a wall between her and them. 

But for what? And why? It was more notorious with the baseball idiot, but even those girls - Kyoko and the scary woman Hana - received the same treatment. It wasn't that the brunette ignored them or was rude to them, on the contrary. She was calm and gentle, awkward and shy, and scared.

She was scared of something, that he was sure of. Because he has seen that flash of hurt in her eyes, something he was familiar with when he would gaze into a mirror and think of the past. Whatever it was that was tormenting her, he couldn't just directly ask. That would cause the brunette to close her heart even more. He could only be there for her, support her until she was ready to open her heart.

With determination in his eyes, he looked up, eyes focusing on the orange-tinted sky beyond the window.

He was going to be faithful and loyal. Because a girl who was scared to have friends deserved that and more.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Remind me again why I am hanging down from a tree?" Tsuna asked with dread, a bluish colour painting her forehead for all the blood rushing down her head.

"Because I say so. Now dodge" Reborn simply answered, raising a green bazooka that shoots tennis balls and firing to a wailing Tsuna, who was hanging upside down by a rope around her ankles from a tree.

"Why can't you-" Tsuna grumbled and moved to the right, face almost colliding with the tree trunk but barely missing it. "I don't know, train me to-ugg-" This time her forehead did hit the trunk. "You know, how to fight instead of this!"

"And what exactly do you want me to teach you?" The hitman asked, his shots increasing their speed, much to Tsuna's misfortune.

"I don't know! Oh god, that was close" She stared in horror as she dodged three incoming balls and used her hands to cover her face when the tree trunk got really near to her face. "Shooting and close combat and spying or something!"

"I am doing something, you are just too stupid to realize it"

"How is climbing a mountain with my eyes closed, doing push-ups with a can of water in my back and dodging tennis balls while hanging upside-down from a tree training?!" Tsuna indignantly shouted, followed by a cry of pain after a tennis ball hit her square in the nose "Auch, Reborn!"

"Concentrate, Dame-Tsuna." He chided her "If you can't talk and dodge at the same time, you are doing more mountain climbing"

"Ugg" Tsuna groaned in frustration and tried to concentrate.

Dodging and using her forearms or hands to push herself away from the tree whenever she got really close to hitting her face, she continued doing the same thing which Reborn took advantage of and fired two tennis balls in different directions. Surprised at having her tactic broken, they collided with Tsuna's shoulder and lower back.

"See what you did again? You can't expect the enemy to attack you in the same pattern, again and again, Dame-Tsuna. How many times have we been through this?" He shook his head in disappointment. 

Reborn has drilled this to her for weeks, but Tsuna still makes the same mistake. She needed to refine that aspect and the only way for it was to get her own body to be alert and expect the unexpected. To stop relying so much on what she sees and trust her intuition. If it was active, then she needed to learn how to use it properly.

Tsuna was still groaning in pain when Reborn raised his bazooka to shoot again, but before he could fire it suddenly disappeared. He blinked down to see Leon blowing smoke from his mouth, his little body shaking a little by the exertion.

"You have been working hard. You deserve some rest" The hitman sighed.

"Thank you!" Tsuna exclaimed with relief at hearing that.

"I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Leon" Reborn bite back, cradling the little chameleon to his body.

Tsuna pouted and glared at him but Leon blinked back at her. Okay, she couldn't be mad at that little thing, with how many times he had to change to satisfy Reborn's need, he was treated like a slave in her eyes.

"Your speed increased by 2.6 out of 5 in the past month, although your agility and flexibility adds points to it. But you still make the same mistakes." Reborn shook his head with dissatisfaction while looking at some notes he had done. "We need to speed up your training. At this rate, you won't make it before the month ends"

"It's inspiring how much faith you have in me" Tsuna deadpanned "Why are you trying so hard, anyway?"

"Do not question your tutor, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn said, annoyed that the girl was making little progress while there was danger lurking at every corner. But he was the best hitman, if he succeeded with Dino, he can shape the brunette into a Mafia Boss material.

"I told you not to call me that!" Tsuna exclaimed. But just then, a cracking sound was heard. "What was that sound?" She asked with dread. 

Reborn simply patted Leon, who was getting sleepy and watched the brunette's face turn pale with realization. The branch holding her broke down, making her fall down and hit the ground.

"Ngh, Auch" She moaned in pain. Well, at least she used her arms to cover her face, the hitman noted.

"Let's go home, Dame-Tsuna. Tomorrow will be hell for you, so eat and rest well"

Tsuna only groaned, still on the ground. It took two minutes before the brunette could stand up without falling by how her legs were trembling. There was a nasty bruise in her forehead, her nose felt sore, and she was sure her back and shoulders gained new purple marks the size of a tennis ball. She shot the hitman a nasty glare, which he olympically ignored. Seriously, why was he training her so harshly?

She didn't let it show, but her hopes and expectations had diminished over the weeks. He was the best hitman of the world, damn it. Where were the guns teaching and spy secrets? She expected more, really, but here he was, shooting tennis balls and making her run in her underwear. Maybe, just maybe, this was some kind of karate kid secret training. 

Just take a look at Dino… On second thought, she had heard enough stories of the torture he went through by the hands of this baby. Was it too late to call the child welfare systems?

"Keep moving, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn called a few meters ahead of her. Her legs actually burned as she jogged to catch up to him and she almost tripped when Reborn jumped to sit on her shoulder.

They, or rather, she walked at a steady pace. It was April, the air was fresh but the sun was horrible to a person who just climbed down a mountain. They were silent on their way home, and she was thankful for that because it gave her the chance to catch up her breath all the while thinking on possible ways to get back at the baby hitman.

She sighed in relief when she walked into the familiar street of her neighbourhood. Just a couple of meters and she can finally rest! Oh, the joy, she almost skipped happily, but her body froze when she heard a familiar growl.

Reborn felt Tsuna tense and turned to look at her, but she was looking at a house gate with narrowed eyes, her shoulders trembling slightly and unconsciously stepping back from it.

"What is it?" He asked in confusion. He didn't feel any malicious presence and there was no way the brunette's hyper intuition could detect something he couldn't.

"He is here" Tsuna whispered, and as if feeling her fear, the gate of the house opened by itself. A loud growl could be heard and out stepped the beast that haunted the brunette's mornings before the hitman came to live with her.

"You are scared of a little dog?" Reborn deadpanned as he stared at the little Chihuahua who was making a funny noise at them.

"Don't let him deceive you! He is the devil's spawn" Tsuna murmured and stepped back as the dog walked towards her.

"Alright, you just achieved a new level of patheticness in my book" Reborn sighed.

"No! I am serious!" Tsuna exclaimed but the dog barked at her, making her yelp and jump back.

Reborn just shook his head. What did he do to deserve this? Girl or not, how can a teen be afraid of an innocent, harmless little pup? Just how pathetic can that be? It was damaging his image, damn it. I mean, it was okay if the dog was a rottweiler or something big. But some silly pup that had grotesque looking eyes that were twitching, and red dripping snot and, wait- what? Was that foam in his mouth? Wait… did that thing's head just did a 360 spin? 

What the hell was wrong with that dog!?

"Do you believe me now?!" Tsuna screeched. Reborn held the brunette's shoulder where he was sitting tightly.

"Okay, Dame-Tsuna. I want you to run, run like you have never run before and there will be no training tomorrow" He wasn't going to let anyone know that his student was beaten by a Chihuahua possessed by the devil. If he can get her to speed her training by doing this, then so be it.

"You're on" Tsuna whispered, before sprinting as fast as she could.

The dog barked and followed her, easily catching up to her despite its tiny body. Tsuna was almost crying in fear and frustration, her legs were burning and muscles cramping in effort, and she felt like she was about to throw up but didn’t dare to stop.

"Faster!" Reborn ordered.

"I can't! R-Reborn! I can't run anymore! We are going to get eaten!" Tsuna cried.

Reborn glared at the dog and then glared some more at the brunette. He grabbed Leon, who transformed into a gun and loaded the special bullet. 

"Dame-tsuna, this better work or I swear"

Tsuna didn't have time to react, she just turned to Reborn with wide eyes before the bullet was shot in her head. She tripped by the sudden force and crashed to the floor. The baby hitman jumped over a fence and watched as the orange flame came to life on the brunette's forehead, and how her clothes mysteriously ripped themselves by the flare of energy.

"Reborn! Escape the evil spawn and get us home!" Tsuna exclaimed with newfound energy. She snatched him, holding him tight in her arms before sprinting, almost flying to her home.

The evil dog barked, stopping briefly to chew at her discarded clothes before continuing to pursue her, growling and spitting foam from its mouth. 

"Fast, fast, fast, oh my god he just ate my clothes!" The brunette chanted, the flames in her forehead starting to flicker and marking that the 5 minutes limit was almost over.

In her desperation to escape, she stopped for a second to lean down and grab a rock so that she could throw it at the dog behind it. However, as it hit square on its face, a loud clang was heard.

“What the hell?!”

"Dame-Tsuna, concentrate!" Reborn escaped her grip and kicked her in the head. How annoying this was, was it really too soon to ask for vacations? One thing was for sure, he was definitely going to torture someone – a brunette – for damaging his image like this.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Oh my god! Yay! We are safe!" Tsuna threw open the door of her house before quickly closing it. She leaned her back against it and breathed out in relief. She could hear growling and barking behind the door, along with some beeps and creaks but she knew that no evil could get inside her home. Well, Reborn doesn't count, her mother invited him. "We made it! We live! We're home!"

"Dame-Tsuna, shut up" Reborn hopped down from the brunette's grip and rubbed his head with one hand, already having a headache. God, he needed some coffee. Why the hell didn't he leave the brunette to deal with it alone? The better question was why he let himself be dragged and almost be eaten by the devil's spawn who may or may not be a robot.

"Welcome back" Nana came from the kitchen and gasped a little when she saw the state of her daughter. "Tsuna-chan, what happened to your clothes?"

It was only then that Tsuna remembered her predicament of running in her underwear whenever Reborn shoots her, that and all the bruises on her body were on display in front of her mother. She unconsciously crossed her arms in front of her to try and hide the ones in her back.

"We were playing… I fell down a tree and- and that evil Chihuahua tried to kill me again! He ate my clothes, mom!"

"Well, it's good you made it in one piece. Go take a shower dear, I will heat up the supper" Nana told her with a smile and Tsuna rushed to the bathroom before her mother could see any more bruises.

"That puppy is rather playful, don't you think so, Reborn-kun?" Nana giggled as she went back to the kitchen, giving the hitman an idea that this was a common occurrence.

Reborn just nodded, and petted a tired-looking Leon. He seriously needed coffee. 

And vacations. 

Definitely.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna shut the door of the bathroom with a sigh. That was too close and the worst part was that her mother saw her in such a pitiful state. This was all Reborn's fault, she thought with a frown. It was frustrating, realizing that Reborn was starting to control her life and make her do things to his whim.

Sighing to herself and concluding that this wasn’t the time to think negative thoughts, she headed over the shower and turned the handle to the right to let the hot water flow. She well deserved a warm relaxing bath after such horrible experiences with the baby demon and the devil's spawn, thank you very much.

Just as the room started to become foggy by the hot moisture and she made a move to remove her remaining clothes, a dizzy spell hit her, one that made her vision blurry and body to feel numb.

"Ngh" She managed to grab the sink in time to balance herself and placed a hand on her head. It hurt, it felt like there were ants crawling all over her skin, her limbs felt heavy and her head, god, her head was pulsing like something wanted to come out. It barely lasted seconds, but she felt disoriented as her vision started to clear, leaving her only with the remnants of anxiety and dread.

"The hell?" She murmured and blinked in confusion as she shook her head. "Tired, I am tired. I need food and sleep, I want to sleep, please" She pleaded in a whisper. 

Shower forgotten, Tsuna lifted a hand to touch her forehead.

It was warm.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Tsuna dear, there is a package for you" Bianchi called as soon as Tsuna stepped into the kitchen, drying her hair with a towel and wearing clean pyjamas with cartoonish dinosaurs on them.

"A package?" She asked in confusion and was about to take the white parcel that Bianchi was holding, but a heavyweight on her head made her stumble "Ouch, Reborn!" She cried in pain and glared at the baby who was opening the package on the table "Hey, that's mine!"

"Who would send you a package via mail?" The baby hitman questioned, ignoring the brunette and opening the parcel. He peeked inside and was confused by the contents. He grabbed what seemed to be a thank you card and read the sender. "Green&Peace?"

"Oh! About time" Tsuna smiled brightly and sat down at the table. She started to rummage through the parcel and took out what seemed to be a green t-shirt, a magazine, a bag full of gardening seeds, some more letters, a clay sculpture, and a small present box.

"What's this junk?" The baby hitman asked.

"Why, how dare you?" Tsuna said with an offended frown "Green&Peace is an ecological company that fights to protect the environment. They raise funds by selling products and art pieces that are made of ecological materials all around the globe. I have sold a few paintings to them, actually." Tsuna told him, busy looking at the things she received. "I am subscribed to the magazine. There are contests, information and news about health, art and nature. And because I am one of their art providers, I get free gifts. Cool, huh?"

"And yet, there is still no new painting for mama" Nana casually said as she was passing by.

"I-I promise I will paint something as soon as I have free time!" Tsuna winced and shouted after her.

"What I don't understand, is how you get average grades and burn your cooking and yet be able to sell paintings for a company"

"You know, I sometimes wonder the same thing… I got involved in arts because it was the only thing that I didn't mess up, and as I got useless in other things, I got better at painting" Tsuna blinked "That… sounded so sad, oh my god, I am an artist!"

"Well, at least you are good at something" He sighed, curious about her little entrepreneur project but seeing no harm in allowing her to continue.

"Hmm, let's see what we got" Tsuna mumbled to herself "Rhododendron seeds, fan letters, thank you letters, weird clay sculpture made by a ten-year-old that likes my drawings and what's in here?" She opened the little present box "A fancy-looking ring that is made of paper" It even had sparkles to make it seem like a gem was on it.

"Dame-Tsuna, you are such a nerd" Reborn shook his head, before looking at Tsuna with narrowed eyes "Just to clear things, you are anonymous, right?"

"I'm not that stupid, of course I keep my identity a secret" Tsuna rolled her eyes, admiring how the paper ring fit on her finger.

"Good" The baby hitman nodded and hopped down the table, being done with the brunette for the day. Tsuna watched him leave and sighed, her shoulders relaxing.

"You think he was worried for me?" She asked the little green chameleon who had crawled from Reborn's shoulder to lick the rhododendron seeds that were on the table. It wasn't like she was waiting for an answer, but when nothing happened she turned down to see the lizard shaking "Leon?" She cooed gently "Are you okay, little guy?" The chameleon blinked and his body shook more, it started to emit a strange glow "Leon!"

Before she knew it, the little chameleon body started to morph into different things at a high speed, his tiny body glowing more and more.

"Oh god! REBORN!" She shouted for the baby hitman, who appeared in the kitchen in seconds.

"What?" He asked grumpily, he was so ready to go to sleep.

"There is something wrong with Leon!" Tsuna pointed towards the morphing chameleon on the table. Reborn hopped into it and stared at his partner with a sigh.

"About time" He said, and Tsuna looked even more horrified. "He is not dying, don't worry. He is producing something; you never know what it is but be assured that it will be something you'll need"

Tsuna breathed out in relief, still worried about Leon.

"Eat something Dame-Tsuna, mamma made curry" Reborn grabbed Leon, dare Tsuna said gently, and carried him upstairs. 

Today was such a tiring day, she grabbed the warm supper that her mother had warmed for her and ate slowly as she read her mail from the package she received. Most of them were just thank you letters from her customers. Others were asking her for a certain type of painting, while the rest were fans appreciating her artwork and contribution to the environment.

One letter thought, grabbed her whole attention, dinner long forgotten. She looked around, making sure no one was around before opening the white envelope and started to read.

> _Dear snowed fish,_
> 
> _I thank you for your last masterpiece. Your brain is brilliant, as usual. Expect a prototype by the end of the month._
> 
> _My investigation is going slowly, however. I'm afraid I don't have the resources to investigate something I do not know. If you can perhaps send the object in question, I will be happy to explore this project to its fullest._
> 
> _Yours,_
> 
> **_-Green &Peace._ **

No.

Was her immediate answer. No matter how curious and needed she was for that information, she wasn't going to part from that object. If worse has to come, then they will need to meet in person to pursue the project.

" _I need a phone"_ She thought with a frown. She was sure the hitman was going to read her mail if she sent anything and she needed to communicate without someone spying on her.

Not being hungry anymore, she picked her cold plate and left it wrapped nicely by the counter. She grabbed the letters and stored them inside the package, leaving the weird clay sculpture on the table. She went upstairs to her room and left the package by her desk, opting to put everything away on another day and somehow knowing that the hitman wouldn’t snoop on there.

"Hey Reborn, when are you going to return my phone and laptop?" She asked as innocent, dismissive and uncaring as she could so as to not raise suspicion.

"Hmm?" The hitman blinked from his little hammock. Leon was still glowing, but his body had finally stopped morphing and had solidified into a sphere. The hitman eyed the brunette before closing his eyes "You wanted to prove me wrong, survive this month and they will be returned to you"

"What a cheap bribe" She murmured but it was the best answer she would get from him.

They were silent after that. She busied herself a little knowing that there wasn’t any homework and watched some tv with the kids before it was bedtime. She had wished her mother goodnight and was finishing brushing her teeth when Lambo and I-pin somehow convinced her to read them a bedtime story. They still fought and argued daily, but when they wanted something and joined forces, there was no one stopping them, she had come to find out.

 _What a day_. She thought when she finally curled in her bed, wishing that tomorrow could be a peaceful day.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Morning came too soon. Tsuna grumpily went to school, as always, with Gokudera and Yamamoto to walk with her. Reborn disappeared as soon as she left, but she didn't dare skip school after his threat. The good part was that she didn't have any weird nightmares so her body was well rested. 

The bad part was that there was an ugly feeling of anxiety coiling inside of her. The closer they got to school, the more she wanted to run back home and stay in bed until she could properly v again. But alas, she couldn't.

Classes went normal as always despite the uncomfortable feeling settling on her skin, she didn't know how she survived, but she was still awake when classes were over and everyone was rushing out. But of course, it wasn't done yet. She had library duties, not to mention, she promised Yamamoto she was going to watch his game.

Gokudera, as promised, waited for her until she was done. All she has to do was put back the returned books, help any students looking for a last-minute check out and clean out before clogging so it wouldn’t take her long. The bomber offered to help, but this was her duty - and grade - so she had to take care of it on her own, otherwise, it would be counted as cheating.

Besides, it wasn't like she was alone; there were other students who were in the library committee that were helping around. And the good thing - or bad, depending on the way you looked at it - was that not many students came to the library, so it was a relaxing work.

"Excuse me, Sawada-san? Can you help me with something?" Tsuna was brought out of her thoughts when a girl approached her with a note "I can't find this book"

"Yes, sure" Tsuna mumbled as she read the paper "hmm… I think we have it in the storage room, wait here a minute"

She passed by Gokudera's table, who was immersed in a supernatural book. It had taken a few minutes to make Yamamoto leave for late-minute practice, and he didn’t leave until they both had promised to attend the game. If he could, he would have dragged them there personally but he was the star player, and he needed to be present before the game started.

The whole school was talking about it, but girls were more excited than anyone, squealing all day and crowding the baseball courts like cheerleaders. It was a good thing Hibari was nowhere in sight, otherwise, the crowds would have driven him mad. But it was strange though, it's not like Tsuna was worried about him but there were even less disciplinary committee members around.

One would think that patrolling a baseball match with another school to keep order and peace would be a priority but only a couple of them were standing guard.

As she passed by another table, she saw two girls staring at their phones instead of the opened books they had in front of them. Tsuna rolled her eyes, but as long as they were quiet, who was she to kick them out?

She walked inside the storage room searching for the book the girl wanted. Why would a first-year need a book about thermodynamics, anyway? She was busy looking around so she didn't notice the girl having following her with the other two. 

"Here it is" Tsuna grinned and grabbed the book, happy that she found it so quickly but just as she turned around, the door was slammed close, followed by the unmistakable sound of the clicking of the lock.

"H-Hey…" Tsuna whispered and dropped the book "Hey, what are you doing!?" She ran towards the door and tried to open it, but to no avail. "Open the door! Open the door, now!" She tried moving the handle and banged at the door, but the storage room was behind all the bookshelves at the far end, no one was going to hear her.

"Oh my god, oh my god!" Her breath started to come short and fast, and she looked around for a window, but they were none. _White walls surrounding her._ She was trapped inside a small room with no exit. _Closing in on her._ Her eyes burned as she kicked and banged at the door. "Somebody open the door! Let me out! OUT!" 

Crouching down, she covered her ears with her hands as her breath got stuck in her throat.

"Please!" She released a sob.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The game started 10 minutes ago, Juudaime's shift should have ended by now and yet, there was no sign of the brunette. Gokudera searched the library with his eyes over and over again in search of her, but the brunette was nowhere in sight. He was focused on his book, but he still kept an eye on her and saw her walk behind him but hasn’t come back. 

Was it an enemy attack? No. Kidnaping was out of the option too, there was no one suspicious and he was facing the only way out, so he would know. 

Getting worried, he stood up and started to search for her.

The library was practically empty, save for two third-year students arguing about physics in the table next to him and a group of girls that haven’t left either. Quickening his step, he peeked through the shelves for a mane of light brown hair, but all he found were empty aisles and harsh whispers hiding in between them.

"I don't think this is funny” A voice said “You shouldn't abuse your power of the library committee president like this" 

Taking curiosity, he hid on the bookshelf nearest to the hushed voices and listened.

"Well, she deserved it! Just who does she think she is? She is a no-one, why does she get to hang around with the popular guys? I bet you she is lying to them" Another girl sneered to justify whatever it was that she has done. 

"Let's just go, I don't think anyone will be coming for Sawada"

Oh, hell no.

Gokudera didn't spare them another glance, he ran around the library looking for a door.

**.**

**.**

**.**

This really felt like coming home and after almost a month of not playing, he was dying to just let go. He loved the smell of grass just cut, the feeling of his favourite old bat in his hands, the pressure of his helmet on his head. Oh, how he missed this. It's not like he was nervous for the game, but he was trembling in excitement. He just wanted to play!

He looked around as he stretched. His team was warming up next to him, the captain was reviewing the strategy with the coach, students were already cheering while the opposite team was also warming up and his two friends were nowhere in sight.

It's not like was paranoid or obsessed, but he really wanted to share this experience with them.

15 minutes into the game, and still no sign of them. Namimori-middle was leading by a ten points mark. If they keep it up, the game would be over with them taking the win. He flexed his healed arm and gripped the bat tight. Okay, this was a first to him, he couldn't say if it was a good thing or bad thing to have half your concentration on the game and the other half consumed by worry. Because just where were they?

The pitcher threw the ball, and his teammate batted. It was a hit of tree points. The crowd cheered, the girls screamed. 

What if someone did something to her? Of course, he knew mostly half of the school made fun of the brunette, but because it didn't seem to hurt the girl, he didn't step in. That didn't mean he liked it.

Bam. Another two points for Namimori. First, second and third base were now clear. Students cheered, girls screamed.

Now it was his turn to bat.

What if those nasty girls did something to her? He may not be the smartest guy, but he knew what angry jealous fangirls were capable of. He gripped his bat and looked at the pitcher with narrowed eyes, gaze fixed on the ball.

What were the odds? What were the odds, indeed. All he knew was that something had happened to Tsuna, and if he was getting annoyed by the constant loud yelling of the girls cheering his name, that could only mean something.

The pitcher threw the ball. 

Oh, hell no.

His eyes narrowed and he batted the ball as hard as he could, not minding his healed shoulder. Everyone gasped and awed as the ball flew up in the air, up and far away from the courts. It was the perfect home run, and by the time he was crossing third base, the ball had crashed into one of the school’s windows.

And the crowd still cheered.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Gokudera searched the whole library until finally, hidden behind all the bookshelves at the far end of the room was the door he was looking for. He ran towards it without a second thought, and as he got nearer, he could hear some weak banging coming from it.

"Juudaime!?" He shouted and tried to open the door, but it was indeed locked. What kind of door has a lock from the outside?

"G-Gokudera-kun?" Her voice sounded distant and quivering "Gokudera-kun?! Get me out!"

"It's me! The door it's locked. Juudaime, stay back! I will blow it open!" Gokudera didn’t wait a second and ignited a dynamite stick, trusting that the brunette had moved out of the way he stuck it into the latch and leaned back a little.

In seconds, a small explosion occurred, covering the place with smoke and the familiar smell of burning, he was totally going to blame this on those nasty girls.

"Juudai-

Before he could finish calling for her, something jumped on him as soon as the door fell over and he felt trembling arms wrap around his neck tightly. He was frozen by the sudden contact, but a shuddering wet breath on his shoulder made him wrap his arms protectively around the figure in front of him.

"Shh. It's okay, you are safe" Gokudera reassured her in a soft voice as he felt her struggling to breathe “Focus on breathing, slowly. Juudaime, you’re safe” 

He rubbed her back and tried to breathe loudly so that the girl could mimic the movement. It took a while, he really didn’t care how long it took, but he waited patiently as Tsuna started to calm down and breathe with more ease. Her body was still shivering, but it wasn’t the harsh tremors as before.

Tsuna for her part, blinked and breathed out, her mind calming down at just holding onto something familiar, something real that grounded her. Her heartbeat slowed as did her breathing, she still felt like she wanted to puke but the fog in her head was starting to clear out, and her senses started to come back to her, making her realize where she was and what had happened.

Gokudera looked down with worry when he felt the girl stiffen after having calmed down, but before he could ask Tsuna pushed herself away from his arms gently and turned away while hugging herself. 

"Juudaime-

"I-It was nothing" She said, cringing at how loud her voice was. "Thank you…"

"Yeah" He nodded and let her compose herself, not questioning her further "Yeah, it's okay, umm… We better go, the baseball game is almost over. If you wish to still go?"

Tsuna nodded slowly and he waited until she was ready to go. The library was empty by the time they came out, and Gokudera didn’t have the heart to remind the brunette to lock up. He will vouch for her tomorrow if she gets in trouble, but for now, he followed her closely.

If he had looked inside the storage room instead of the floor as he hugged the girl, he would have seen the burnt books the brunette left behind in that room. But he wouldn’t be aware of that, not with his whole focus being on the brunette’s figure in front of him.

He wanted to ask if she was all right, but was afraid of doing so. That haunted look, that shuddering breathing, it was like she was having a panic attack. But what could have possibly triggered it? 

Just as they turned around the corner, both stopped at the strange sight in front of them.

"Huh?" Tsuna blinked at the unconscious girl lying on the floor, with shattered glass around her and a baseball ball lying innocently next to her head.

"That baseball idiot… breaking windows and knocking people" Gokudera tsked and went to stare at the broken window, not even sparing a second thought to the girl. He recognized her well enough as the responsible for locking Juudaime, she didn’t deserve their attention.

Tsuna walked towards the girl and knelt down, careful not to step into any glass. ' _Karma's a bitch'_ She thought with a small smile as she picked the ball, feeling a lot better as she gripped the rough texture in her hand.

"Come on, we are really late" She stood up and tugged at Gokudera's shirt, and he let himself be dragged all the while grumbling about Yamamoto’s crazy play.

They both made it in time to see Yamamoto's last run, the last play that led Namimori’s baseball team to victory.

"You know, he is good" Tsuna said underneath all the yells and cheers. She had never been to a baseball game before, she had seen Yamamoto play sometimes but it was him just fooling around. She has never seen him that serious at something. But even when he was serious, he seemed like he was having fun.

"He is just lucky" Gokudera glared -more like pouted- but Tsuna didn't tease him. They waited in the sidelines until people started to clear out and leave the courts. She didn’t want to walk through the groups of fangirls and the baseball team continuously cheering, but Yamamoto had no trouble spotting them through the commotion going on around him.

With a grin, he broke free and jogged up to them. Sweaty, tired but happy.

"3 home runs in a game, must be a new record" She approached him, trying not to react towards the glares she was receiving when everyone turned to look who their baseball star was running to. How come she didn't notice those glares before? Or well, she did but she was so used to them that she just ignored them.

"You came!" Yamamoto grinned as he came to a stop in front of them "Did you watch it? How was it, did you like it?" Tsuna and Gokudera almost snorted at his energy. Well, Gokudera did snort. The baseball ace looked like an oversized puppy with how happy he was. It made Tsuna sigh softly, unable to come up with an excuse.

"Sorry. S-Somebody locked me in a room and I missed the game but..." She smiled and held the baseball up "I know you were amazing"

"Tch" Gokudera tsked and glared at the bright expression that lit on the baseball ace's face, if it was even possible.

"Sign this for me, please" Tsuna asked, handing the ball to the boy in front of her.

"Sure!" Yamamoto exclaimed, writing his name in the ball. He was signing his name to the group behind him so he already had a marker in hand. "Here you go" He handed it back with a grin. Tsuna took the ball back with a smile, and moved a little so that Gokudera wouldn't be left behind.

"We are going to celebrate, get some sushi at home. You should come" Yamamoto told them excitedly.

"I don't know, Reborn wants me at home" Tsuna frowned and started to play with the ball in her hands.

"We shouldn't mingle with half-brained sports guys anyway" Gokudera looked at the sweaty and noisy baseball team, surrounded by other loud students.

"You aren't any fun" Yamamoto shook his head at him "What about your fireworks!? You should have lighted some. We won"

"Oh right, let me fire the ones that spell your name" Gokudera deadpanned, hands searching in his pockets.

"They really can do that?!" Yamamoto asked with sparkles in his eyes.

"Of course not! idiot! As if that could happen!" Gokudera snapped and pushed him backwards. "And they are bombs, bombs! Not fireworks!"

"They are flashy and explode, same thing!" Yamamoto retorted and crossed his arms.

"You big idiot!" Gokudera tried to punch him, but Yamamoto evaded him with a laugh. 

Tsuna shook her head at their antics. Must they always bicker in her presence? She sighed as she looked around. Luckily there weren't many students remaining, and being outside helped her breathe more easily. Her heart started racing though, when she saw a familiar orange-haired girl running away in tears.

"Kyoko?" She whispered before running after the girl "Hey! Kyoko! what is it?"

"M-My brother! He is in the hospital!" Kyoko said between tears, hands clutching her pink cellphone.

"Okay, calm down, I'm coming with you" Tsuna grabbed her hand, not thinking of anything else but to help her "Come on!"

Tsuna started to run, dragging Kyoko with her. In the back of her mind, she could hear Reborn scolding for running away and leaving Gokudera and Yamamoto behind, but she acted on instinct.

"We are taking a taxi" She told the girl behind her, who just nodded and wiped her tears. It didn't take more than a minute for them to get in one.

"What happened?" Tsuna asked as soon as the taxi took off.

"I-I don't know" Kyoko sobbed "I received a call from the hospital, my brother got in an accident"

"Hey, it's okay" Tsuna patted her shoulder "You know your brother, he is strong"

"I know my brother. I know he must have gotten into another fight" Kyoko said in distress, and Tsuna could only look at her with guilt.

"You can't keep protecting him, not when he doesn't want you too"

"He is my brother" The orange-haired girl sniffed, but her eyes sparkled in determination.

"And he loves you" Tsuna reassured her "But it's his life, he just wants you to keep you safe"

Kyoko just sniffed and didn't say anything else. Tsuna sighed, she more than anyone shouldn’t be saying stuff like that. 15 minutes later, they arrived at the hospital where after asking around, a nurse led them towards the room Ryohei was staying, reassuring them that the boy was fine.

"Go, I will be here" Tsuna pushed Kyoko gently. 

The orange-haired girl nodded, she breathed in before walking inside the room. Tsuna for her part breathed out and leaned against the wall. It really was a pity, Kyoko was always worrying about her brother, nagging at him every time he fought someone outside the boxing ring, almost like she wanted to control him, but in truth, she just wanted to keep him out of harm. Tsuna turned to her right when she heard hurried footsteps.

"Mrs. Sasagawa" She greeted the distressed woman.

"Tsuna-chan" The woman greeted back.

"He is fine, Kyoko's in there now. He had a rough fight, just some...broken bones"

"That boy is going to be the end of me" The woman sighed, shaking her head, feeling a little bit relieved but still worried. She looked at Tsuna with grateful eyes "Thank you for coming"

"Of course" Tsuna smiled, grabbing her school bag a little tighter "I have to get going, please excuse me"

"Yes, thank you so much for your help" Mrs. Sasagawa smiled at her, and with a bow, she entered the hospital room. Tsuna sighed and turned around to walk away. It made her wonder just how much she has worried her own mother. A lot, she thought. She was going to paint her something nice, she deserved it.

She walked out of the hospital, with a hand rubbing her head. Everything was so white inside, it was giving her a headache. In her other hand, she was still gripping the ball tightly to remind herself that she was fine. She felt a little bad about leaving the boys so suddenly, they must be so worried by now and she didn't have a phone to contact them. Well, that was totally Reborn's fault.

It was getting late. She was hungry and tired and wanted nothing more than to curl in her bed. Should she take the bus? Oh wait, she didn't have any money left. This wasn't her day, at all. Just as she was about to walk home, the sound of a motorcycle engine grabbed her attention. She turned to see and couldn't help but to smile at the figure getting off the black bike. Well, thank you destiny.

"Hey" She called as she approached him "You have been patrolling for days, what's going on? I haven't seen you at school. Are you hurt?"

"Nothing that concerns you" Kyoya huffed as he locked his bike and started to walk towards the hospital. Tsuna narrowed her eyes, her gut clenching in anxiety. He wasn't hurt, that much was obvious. And he wasn't the person to take his time to visit someone in a hospital, unless it was for interrogation. So…

"Is there someone on the loose?" She asked, and Kyoya stopped to look at her with a glare.

"What do you know about it?"

"I just asked you" The brunette crossed her arms, not flinching at the intense glare. Deep down, she was starting to panic. Was this the bad feeling she had been feeling? 

"Trouble brings trouble" Hibari said, nodding at her.

"I don't think this is Reborn's doing" Tsuna murmured, shaking her head and thoughts away.

"Obviously"

"Well it isn't my fault either" The brunette pouted "No one knows who I am supposed to be, so you can't blame this on me"

Kyoya made a sound in his throat, it was more like a grunt that was meant to represent a snort, she has come to identify over the years.

"Well, thank you, dear prefect, for looking out for this humble neighbourhood" Tsuna smiled brightly at him if only to annoy him a little "There are many old grannies and housewives that are grateful of your great efforts"

And he sighed, knowing perfectly what she wanted "I will take you home" he looked at her with a pointed stare "Stay"

"Yes!" She exclaimed, not minding if the order sounded like a master teaching its dog to stay put. He turned and started to walk inside, eyes narrowed and a frown on his eyebrows as he set on walking inside the hospital. She almost felt bad, almost. 

"Wait, Kyoya! Can you lend me your phone?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

7 minutes later, Kyoya came out to find Tsuna playing a game on his cellphone, sitting down on a bench and eating a cookie that a kind old lady gave her. There weren't any bad vibes coming from the generous action so the brunette accepted the cookie without much thought. She was starting to trust that nagging feeling, even though it was starting to freak her out. The Namimori prefect just glared at her, which made her almost giggle, almost. She didn't want to lose her ride home.

And he had to intensify his glare when Tsuna refused to wear his helmet, 1) because he only had one and if she wore it then he wouldn't have protection and 2) because it was an ugly blue colour. But she didn't say that out loud. 

In the end, Kyoya forced the helmet on her head and started to drive at a dangerous speed, forcing her to wrap her arms tightly around him and almost cry. He totally did that on purpose, but he wasn't going to admit it.

Once they got near her neighbourhood, he slowed down, making Tsuna relax a bit on his back.

"You are evil" She murmured with a shaky breath. If he heard her, he didn't comment. But Tsuna only sighed and closed her eyes, enjoying the ride while it lasted.

They parked a little away from her home, Tsuna didn't want to alert anyone that someone in a motorbike drove her home, the gossip from the old ladies will be insufferable. She got out and handed - more like pushed - the ugly helmet to him and ignored the smirk he gave her.

"Thank you" She said, fixing her skirt before looking at him "Be careful, okay. I will inform you as soon as I find anything"

"Don't give me more trouble" He told her, putting on his helmet.

"When do I ever?" Tsuna tried to smile at the flat stare she received. "Right…" She said sheepishly and coughed. "Be careful" 

She waved and started to walk home. She counted to 10 in her head and just as she was standing in front of her house, the sound of the bike’s engine roared and she smiled to herself as she heard him drive away.

She opened the door and went inside, greeting her mother - who she called while waiting for Kyoya to tell her why she was late - and the kids, who were not surprisingly painting the walls with her watercolour paints. At least it will be washable, and Nana wouldn't scold them either way, so what else was there to do.

She met Bianchi as she was walking upstairs to her room, saying that Gokudera called like ten times because she suddenly disappeared. Tsuna groaned at that, feeling guilty at leaving him after her little episode in the library. But she didn't have his number, so she couldn't send him a message earlier. Now she really felt bad. She will call him tonight to apologize and Yamamoto too, if she finds his number. And Kyoko, to know how Ryohei is.

As she finally made it to her room, the devil was already waiting for her.

"Tsuna, I told you not to be alone!" Reborn snapped at her, clearly angry at having his orders disobeyed. Right, Gokudera must have contacted Reborn as soon as she was out of sight. All the happy thoughts she had disappeared as the anxiety and dread returned, this time, with a faint humming in the back of her head.

"Reborn, is someone dangerous on the loose?" She asked, her head starting to throb. The hitman silently stared at her with blank eyes and the dread feeling on her stomach blazed. "Shit. Who is it? Is it a hitman? A runaway prisoner, a psychopath? Is me, isn't. They are coming for me" Tsuna started to babble and pacing in her room. She turned to glare at the baby hitman with a panicked stare "Reborn, I deserve to know!"

"I received a letter from Nono, there was a break out; a prisoner escaped a high secure mafia prison and came to Japan, Namimori" He informed her, his squeaky voice did nothing to calm her nerves.

"And he is coming for me… why?" She asked as she sat down on her bed. After 6 years of evading the Mafia, it finally found her. She wanted to cry. She was going to cry "Who…?"

"His name is Rokudo Mukuro"

Tsuna shuddered as she breathed out and turned to look at Reborn with a gaze full of anger, sadness, fear and despair.

"Rokudo… Mukuro? Who is he?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna doesn't know Mukuro. Or does she? Who knows ~  
> Things are finally getting started. 
> 
> Little heads up, the story will definitely change its rating in the future, just to warn you. Daily arc is over, the fights will start and so will the feels.


	9. Misty morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year. I wish 2021 to be a year full of hope & health for everyone!   
> Stay safe! ❤️✨

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna was confused.

She spent the night trying to get some decent sleep, but her anxiety was too much, her nerves and fears prevented her from finding rest. She was irrationally afraid that if she closed her eyes, she was going to stop breathing. She had to pat herself on the back though, she didn't have a panic attack in front of the baby hitman, but she was now regretting keeping her feelings pent up. It was suffocating.

She tried counting sheep, but by the time she reached number 127, she was restless. Doing her math homework at three a.m. was out of the question, and she didn't have her laptop or phone to distract her, so she settled for the next best thing.

She spent two hours drawing a tree. It was a simple black tree with no leaves, flowers or background, but she put so much detail in it that you could even see the cracks on the trunk and the dimensions of the branches. Then Reborn snored loudly, and Tsuna grabbed the colour orange. With red-rimmed eyes, the black tree was consumed by fire. Through it all, her hands didn't stop shaking. 

Once there was nothing more to cover, she tossed the sketchbook aside and hugged her knees, rocking herself slowly. A deep part of her just wanted to go to her mother's room and sleep next to her, under the blanket of security she provided. But she couldn't. If she did, Nana will get worried and she couldn't give her mother more stress than she already has. Besides, she was thirteen years old; she couldn't do that anymore.

Paranoia prevented her from pacing in her room - Reborn and Lambo had placed grenades and some weapons lying around the floor, and she refused to wake the baby hitman and face his wrath. Still, the feeling of nausea wouldn't leave.

By six in the morning, Tsuna was glaring at the sleeping hitman, writing a thesis in her mind about: 'Identity Crisis, the Story of a Baby Hitman'. It will win her a Nobel Prize, she was sure of it. She had evidence of how many different personalities -  _ more like cosplays  _ \- the hitman had perfectly executed in a month. Twenty. How disturbing is that?

7 A.M. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, her alarm rang but it was the sound of a snot bubble bursting that almost made her cry in hysterics. When Reborn woke up and looked at her pitiful sleepless state, he knew that enough was enough. He threw her a bundle of clothes and sent her to the shower.

Tsuna moved on automatic-mode. She had a warm shower, changed into the clothes she was given and did her hair up in a high ponytail while Reborn explained their schedule for the day with a cup of espresso in his hands. And as she listened, she couldn't help but regard the baby hitman with blank, sceptical eyes, because really…

Finding out that there was a psychopath after you could do wonders to the mental health of a thirteen-year-old girl. The danger, the fear, the risk; Tsuna imagined being sent to another country under a ridiculous alias for protection, or worse, being thrown to the wolves and be expected to come back alive. Because with Reborn as her tutor she imagined facing the danger head-on. Not… well, this.

"Tell me again why I'm wearing the boy's uniform and going to visit the school nurse?"

"Because I say so, now put this on" Reborn threw her a blue piece of cloth, which Tsuna identified as a tie to complete the uniform.

"You do know that I'm a girl, and wearing this to school is going to get me in more trouble than you expect." She said flatly, still not processing the situation but put on the tie nonetheless. Well, tried to. She gave up after it became a big knot in her neck.

"I will take my chances" Reborn merely blinked and threw her a piece of paper that Tsuna barely caught "Now, read this, memorize it, say it, go."

"Yo, dude, ha-ha, life sucks…" She read it in a deadpan voice and looked at the hitman with a raised eyebrow "Seriously, what the hell is going on?"

"Taking precautions." The hitman jumped on her shoulder and cradled a shining sleepy Leon closer "Let's go."

"Am I going to skip school?" She asked, walking to the kitchen and hoping to grab at least a piece of bread. Bianchi was already there, drinking some juice. She took a look at Tsuna's uniform and pouted, probably at the lack of curves and skin. Tsuna couldn't blame her, though she has to admit the outfit was a bit comfy.

"You will be there anyway" Reborn said, and tugged at her hair to urge her to leave. It was early, way too early compared to the usual time she leaves for school. Her head was buzzing; it almost felt numb. Her body begged for rest and she knew it was the paranoia keeping her awake. But for how long?

She said goodbye to her mother, who was in the backyard doing the laundry, grabbed her bag and left the house while finishing a half-burnt toast with jam.

"Why am I seeing the school nurse?" She asked once they were on the streets.

"Because you are starting to mess with my mission."

"But why the school nurse?" She almost whined. Almost.

"Stop your whining, Dame-Tsuna." And of course Reborn would recognize it as so.

"Then why the boy's uniform?" She pressed for more information, but his answer was just as ambiguous as the others were.

"You're undercover" Tsuna almost wanted to rip her hair in frustration.

"Reborn, I didn't sleep last night. I'm scared and I'm paranoid and if you don't explain what's going on I’m going to cry." The hitman sighed and patted her head.

"For the next few days, dressing as such will make things easier for both of us. It will keep your body and my sanity protected."

"Why?"

"Because you are Vongola's Decimo candidate and no one expected a schoolgirl" Reborn said while looking at the sky. Tsuna was more confused than ever, if no one expects a girl then why dress as a boy? But before she could open her mouth Reborn beat her with a tug of her hair again. "Now shut up and hurry up. Don't overcook that head of yours Dame-Tsuna."

She rubbed her eyes tiredly and decided to stop thinking and enjoyed the fresh air instead. Walking with the hitman felt a lot safer than she thought. And she knew, oh she knew, that he wasn't going to leave her alone from now on. That was oddly comforting.

One of the advantages of arriving early was that the school was practically empty. The disciplinary committee - or Kyoya - weren’t at the gates yet for inspection duty and nor were any students loitering around, thus no one called her out for wearing the boy's uniform or for having a baby in a suit sitting on her shoulders with a shining egg on his hand. 

So she calmly made her way inside and into the nurse's office, only to find it empty.

"Where's the nurse?" She asked as she looked around.

"Late as always" Reborn hoped from her shoulder and towards the desk near the window to stare outside while Tsuna sat on the office chair, fidgeting with her fingers and trying to stop her hands from shaking. After a couple of minutes of silence, she started to spin.

Everything was a mess. There was no way she could fight a psychopath and escape unharmed. Even with the little training she had done with Reborn, her body wasn't prepared for an intense fight. Her mind and body weren't prepared to fight someone with her life on the line.

She bit her lip as the room started to blur around her as her thoughts started to drift.

What exactly does Reborn expect? To win the fight? Arrest the psychopath? Kill him? This was the Mafia, after all, she doubted an assassin was going to stay alive after attempting to murder her. It’s not like she could talk her way out of this, she could barely stammer out answers in class, how was she supposed to face someone trying to kill her with a calm face? Though this Muro-Kuro-Roku; whatever his name was has yet to attempt to harm her, she couldn't trust it wouldn't happen. 

Because it could.

And what if her mother got hurt? What if innocent civilians got hurt? Yamamoto, Hana and Kyoko? What if Kyoya and Gokudera face the danger head-on and lose? What if something bad happens?

**T-Tsŭ̴̲**

She wasn't ready. She just wasn't ready to fight for her life.

**Tsuna̶̬̭̒**

Not yet, no, not yet. She wasn't ready. She needed power.

**Hea̶̬̭̒r**

She needed more, more, more. She needed-

**Me**

White walls consumed her, as a whisper echoed inside her head. A soundless warning. Tsuna felt her body fall but was too frozen to move or feel the impact of the floor. A silent gasp left her lips and before she knew it, there was an uncomfortable tingling coursing through all of her body.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Reborn watched as the school grounds started gaining life and few of the disciplinary committee members stood guard at the gates as students started to make their way inside. It was a bit disappointing that the violent kid wasn't around, he needed him for his plans.

Five potential guardians in a month, all of which had a connection - one way or another - to Tsuna. She brought them to her and he was sure that as soon as word about her life being in danger was out, all of them would fight to help and protect her. And the amusing thing was that Tsuna didn't even do anything big to gain their trust. She just did.

And it baffled him because the last thing the brunette wanted was to have people near her. How interesting, he mused, a sky-user fighting against its own nature. The list of oddities just kept growing, he wanted to solve the mystery that was Sawada Tsunayuuki and give her a beating for keeping secrets from him,  _ him - _ her tutor who dedicates his holy time 23/7 on her to keep her alive in this blasted dark world. 

Maybe he should torture her a little more to gain respect. He shouldn't lose his reputation because of a little girl with social anxiety.

Yes, he should do that.

He kept making plans until a loud sound followed by a shout was heard from behind him. Reborn didn't need to look back to see Tsuna on the floor with the chair she was sitting on over her. He just sighed; was he even getting paid for this? He doesn't remember anymore. Damn Nono and his grandfatherly voice. Next time he will ask for vacations, no, wait. He doesn't need to ask, he will just leave and disappear.

"It hurts" The brunette muttered as she climbed from the floor and picked the chair up. She groaned as her legs muscles stretched from the action, and not wanting to fall again, she decided to collapse on the bed. "Reborn, am I crazy?"

"Yes"

The immediate response had the brunette pouting, but what else did she expect? She sighed and covered her eyes with her arm. She wanted to sleep, but at the same time, she didn't. The idea of getting nightmares or being defenceless for a minute was enough to keep her awake. She didn't know how it was possible, but feeling paranoid despite being tired made her senses more aware of her surroundings.

Which is why the sound of the door opening made her jump out from the bed and grab a pillow to use as a shield.

"Alright, I'm here, let's see the unfortunate one" An unfamiliar voice oozing laziness said. Tsuna didn't know if she should throw the pillow at the man who just walked in or keep it as a makeshift shield, but ultimately decided to go with the latter and observe the stranger with calculative eyes.

"A hobo?" She asked out loud, and she was positively sure that the hitman beside her snorted.

"Excuse me?" Said hobo looked at her for the first time since he entered the room with an offended look.

"Excuse you." Tsuna pursed her lips after that. The comeback came out so naturally, she couldn't stop it.

"You are late, Shamal." Reborn hopped on to the bed next to her and stared at the man rubbing his head lazily and messing with his already messy hair.

"Yes well, I had to travel all the way from Italy just for this secret examination after being threatened and bribed by a certain someone." he said while fixing his white coat and Tsuna was hit with a strong scent of nicotine "Now, let's start the examination."

He looked Tsuna over, who was still clutching the pillow and hummed. From his lab coat, he took out a notebook and some medical instruments. Tsuna started to feel dread pooling at her stomach the more she stared.

"What are you going to do to me?" She asked while inching slowly towards Reborn.

"Standard procedure" he said and held a flashlight up. Tsuna flinched when the light reached her eyes and stepped back when the man - now known as Shamal- walked towards her, making him click his tongue in distaste. "Believe me, kid, I would prefer to be in a bar with a pretty woman than with teenagers discovering their acne."

"I don't have acne" she fixed him with a disgusted look, which he ignored.

"Lucky you" he muttered and grabbed her chin "Now look up" her eyes tingled at the light, and they almost watered as he kept searching for something "Red, dry eyes and bags showing under them" he inspected them for a bit before writing in his notebook "Did your girlfriend break up with you or did you stay up late watching porno? Or are you one of those boys who cry while watching dramas at night?"

"Um…" she blinked, her brain only processing three things: girlfriend, porno, and the fact that he just called her a boy.

"Tsuna hasn't been sleeping well. Nightmares are the prime cause of it" Reborn answered for her, lowering his fedora to hide his amusement.

"Hmm" The hobo doctor then proceeded to take her blood pressure, securing a cuff around her tiny bony wrist. "You look so weak and fragile. Reborn must be so rough on you, huh"

"Y-yeah" She stuttered, brain still processing.

She winced when she felt the cold plate of the stethoscope on her arm, and almost cried in pain when her wrist started to hurt by the cuff inflating and cutting the blood circulating on her hand. Was this man torturing her for fun?! What was his deal?

"The pressure is low and you are not resting well" He removed the cuff from her wrist and yawned lazily "I'm going to check your lungs, please remove your shirt"

Total...blank…thoughts.

Tsuna stared at him with wide eyes, she was sure her heart even stopped for a second at the request. He wanted her to do what?

"Check the back. You don't want to see his flat skinny chest, it's such a pity" Reborn said at her side, petting the Leon sphere on his hands.

"Hmm, yeah, good thinking. I expect 20% more compensation" Shamal sighed and moved his finger in circles "Back will do, turn around"

Tsuna held her breath as she turned around, shaky hands holding the bottom of her shirt up and being thankful that she still had the right mind of wearing a black tank top underneath. She still flinched when she felt the plate of the stethoscope on her lower - but still covered - back. Her brain was sure to melt by the ridiculous situation she was in.

"Breath in, hold it… now let it go" They did the procedure twice before Shamal deemed it enough and wrote the results on his notebook "Good lungs. And good genetics too, you have quite the pretty face for a boy" He said, suddenly grabbing her chin to inspect her face again "But you are short and skinny, and your tie looks lame. Oh, well"

She tried to rein in her killing intent as much as she could, and Reborn's smirk wasn't helping at all as Shamal finally let go of her face and walked towards the desk, where he sat on the chair Tsuna had fallen from earlier. 

"So, Vongola Decimo, huh?" He slurred his words, and rested his face on his palm "How's that treating you, kid?"

"He may look like a hobo, but he is trusted, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn told an incredulous Tsuna.

"You want the truth?" She snarled "I fucking hate it."

Shamal looked at her for a moment and then laughed "I like your spunk, it reminds me of my cute student" he sighed with nostalgia "I heard you recruited him"

"His short temperament makes the perfect storm" the hitman said and Tsuna was losing her patience, yet again not knowing what the hell was going on.

"Are we done?" She asked - more like growled - and clutched the pillow tightly. Funnily enough, she kept holding it through all the time.

"Not yet" Shamal searched for something in his pocket, and when he found it, Tsuna wanted to roll her eyes at the sight of a cigarette. "I'm not a psychologist, but someone was persistent in stopping your dreams, so I came prepared" He took a drag and after a beat let the smoke out. "We can't stop you from dreaming. You are a kid, still growing. It can affect your brain if we manipulate it at such a young age."

"I don't think they are dangerous. They come and go and do as they please" Tsuna said, feeling a little self-conscious talking about her weird dreams to a stranger, a hobo stranger.

"But it's starting to interfere with your health. Dangerous or not, your body and mind need to rest at least 8 hours long, without interruptions" Shamal pointed out. "So, want to talk about it? Why do you think they are appearing so frequently?"

"I told you, they do as they please" Tsuna sighed in frustration "It's not like I can control them” 

"Is there a trigger for you dreaming about blood and gore?" And she had to bite back an indignant angry sound, because Reborn had no right telling someone about the state of her mind.

"Not that I can think off" She grumbled and hugged the pillow closer. Neither the world's greatest hitman, a hitwoman who uses poison and two mafia children living in her house were enough to trigger horrible nightmares. Being forced to become a Mafia Boss, however, was a different matter. But still… “I’ve dreamt of mirrors, ice and a garden too, so it's not always that bad”

"Hmm, you said she was taking some pills?" Shamal asked the baby hitman after taking another drag of his cigarette.

"Yes, they are not working anymore. And I don't want to cause some internal poisoning"

"Try it the organic way then. Not my thing, but maybe it will work for the skinny kid. A tea should do the trick" Of course the organic way wouldn't work on him, seeing him kill that cigarette in minutes "I would also recommend keeping a dream diary"

"I do keep one" Tsuna shrugged "But I just draw the ones with more impact"

"If you can, do one of every night to keep them recorded. Maybe we can find a pattern and a way to stop them" He blinked, a sudden thought entering his mind and turned to look at Reborn with an eyebrow raised "Are they…?"

"They are not" The hitman confirmed right away, and Tsuna once again didn't understand what they meant.

"Okay" Shamal shrugged and turned to look at the brunette with a bored look "Is there anything you would like to add?"

"I…" Should she say it? She wasn't even sure if it was real or if she was just tired. She hadn't really thought deeply about what it was and this was a stranger after all. "I'm…" But it wouldn't hurt to say it, after all, there was no harm in hiding it, right? "I'm hearing voices"

Both started at her with black faces and Tsuna hugged the pillow tighter.

"Are you sure it's not…" Shamal turned towards Reborn, who lowered his fedora to hide his expression.

"Sure for now" His voice cut any arguments and the conversation was over.

"Okay" Shamal rubbed his head and turned his attention towards the brunette "You are not crazy. Don't worry about it, so long as they don't tell you to kill yourself or others, then everything is good"

"O-Okay" Was it too late to destroy the pillow in a fit of rage and frustration?

"If that's all, I will write you a prescription to follow for the next month, see how you react to it" Shamal took one last drag of his cigarette before throwing it away and started to write something on a small pink notepad.

"What happened to Mrs. Lin?" Tsuna questioned. Last time she saw the school nurse, it was a woman in her mid-thirties who always gave her free candy when she ended up in the infirmary.

"The previous nurse? What a babe she was, she could've been the perfect assistant" Shamal thought with a toothy grin and Tsuna didn't want to think about what he was implying for him to grin like that.

"She's on maternity leave" Reborn said, still sitting beside her.

"Marriage, such a shame" Shamal frowned and handed the pink note to Tsuna, who took it with unsure hands. He then yawned and stretched his arms, dismissing her completely "If that's all, leave. Classes are about to start, maybe I will get lucky with a girl needing help" He slumped into the chair lazily and pointed towards the door "Good luck kid, now move your skinny butt out of my office"

"I hope you choke with the smoke in your lungs" Tsuna told him brusquely before exiting the room, not staying to hear the choked laughter. The familiar weight on her shoulder made her walk faster through the hallways, already packed with some students. And not once did anybody turn to stare at her. 

"He thinks I'm a boy" She said with a frown.

"It would have been tedious if he knew you were a girl" Reborn said, tugging at her hair again to change directions and made her walk towards the school exit near the sports fields.

"Is he some kind of perverted old man who ogles and pesters women?" She asked, just needing to confirm what she already assumed.

"Yes, he is" and his curt answer made Tsuna feel a heavy, nonexistent weight fall on her shoulders.

"Reborn?" She said in a perturbed voice "Am I not feminine enough?"

The Hitman didn't answer right away, and when he did, Tsuna felt strangely disappointed "Keep walking Dame-Tsuna."

She did, all the while pouting and questioning her self-image. She never cared about makeup or the way her body looked, but having a perverted doctor examine her while just wearing the boy's uniform and still think she wasn’t a girl made her feel a little down, like she just failed at something.

Although Reborn did have a good point in making her wear the boy's uniform, because wearing a skirt around that man would have made Tsuna bash the pillow into that lazy grin until it bled. So it was better this way, she concluded. Besides, the trousers were comfy.

So, does that mean the hitman cared for her? How cute. He certainly forced her to dress like a boy to avoid the pervert hobo from doing anything funny to her. She will give him some humanity points.

As they neared the outside gates  by the baseball court, Tsuna could make out two familiar figures already waiting. It didn't take long until they noticed her coming.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera exclaimed with a smile as he saw her.

"Wow, Tsuna. You look good" Yamamoto looked at her with amusement.

"Please, shut up" She groaned and covered her face.

"Yah! Stop looking at Juudaime like that!" Gokudera pushed Yamamoto away and stood in front of Tsuna to hide her from his view.

"It's okay, Gokudera-kun" Tsuna patted his back slightly, but he made no move to step away from his shielding position.

"Tsuna, you are so mean. You left yesterday without saying anything, I got worried" Yamamoto said, not minding that he couldn't see her behind the angry Italian. Why was she so short?

"Juudaime, please be more careful" Gokudera turned to see her with concern in his eyes, no doubt already knowing about the psycho after her.

"I would've contacted you, but someone stole my phone" Tsuna said with a flat voice, one finger pointed towards the being sitting on her right shoulder.

"Keep wishing, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn patted her cheek in a consoling manner, brushing her attack with ease.

"What are we doing here, anyway?" She asked and fumbled to take out the tie from her neck, but it was just tangling even more.

"Waiting for a ride. He should be here in a minute" Reborn told them.

"You don't know how to tie a tie, you're just making it worse" Yamamoto pointed out with a laugh.

"Shut up"

"Allow me, Juudaime" Gokudera offered and Tsuna just nodded, letting him remove the piece of cloth tied around her neck with ease.

"Much better, thanks" She sighed once it was loose "How do you even breathe with this thing?"

"Well not with a knot, we don't" Yamamoto said with a smirk, making Tsuna stick her tongue at him and Gokudera to glare at him, making the baseball ace laugh.

“You guys are one to talk! You don’t even wear one!” She pointed out.

But just then, a red car parked in front of the gates and honked. A familiar blond stepped out, smiling brightly. It was a sight that made butterflies eat out any dread feeling Tsuna had felt during the day.

"Hello everybody, get in" Dino said but his smile fell a little as he looked around. The stupid butterflies became dust in her heart at his "Where's Tsuna?"

"Stupid Dino, look closer" Reborn’s amusement was palpable as he finally left her shoulder to land on top of the car and Tsuna just wanted to cry. The blond looked around until his gaze fell on her, and he squinted his eyes for a few seconds before opening them wide.

"No way, really!?" He exclaimed with a big grin "Tsuna, you look so cute! You can pose as my little brother too!" He made an attempt to hug her, but Tsuna had enough. Her feminine pride was just wounded twice this day.

"Let go of me, Baka-Dino! I don't care about you, don't talk to me for the rest of the day!" She stalked towards the car with an angry huff.

"W-What? But Tsuny! I haven't seen you in weeks, I missed you!" He ran after her but before he could touch her, Tsuna slammed the door shut on his face "Why is she so cruel to me?"

"Get in, idiot" Reborn kicked Dino in the head before getting inside the car. Both Gokudera and Yamamoto had gotten inside the back seat from the other side. The Italian pushed the baseball ace out of the way so that he could sit next to the brunette, and Yamamoto closed the door whining at Gokudera's rough treatment, but he ignored him.

Dino climbed into the passenger seat and cried when Tsuna refused to meet his gaze.

"We are leaving now. Seat-belts, everyone" Romario said from the driver's seat.

Once he made sure everyone was okay, he turned the car and started to drive to a location unknown to Tsuna, but she didn't care at that point. She ignored every attempt Dino made at talking to her and started to lean slightly towards Gokudera's shoulder as the drive went on, starting to doze off but not enough to fall asleep yet.

The Italian sat stiffly, trying very hard not to move and disturb his Juudaime. Yamamoto, of course, saw this as an opportunity to bother him and started to annoy him by poking his cheek in an attempt to make him move. Dino had given up by now and was sulking on his seat, with sphere-Leon on his lap while Reborn sat next to him, enjoying a cup of coffee he got from who knows where.

Romario was driving calmly, humming along with the radio and ignoring everyone in the car, even when Gokudera exploded and yelled at Yamamoto to stop, causing Tsuna to snap awake and yell a mathematical formula and Yamamoto to laugh out loud which resulted in Gokudera threatening him by lighting some dynamite. Dino started crying at the brunette again, but she just kicked his seat over and over until he shut up. All in all, it was a good trip.

Half an hour later, the car parked at the bottom of a mountain. A very familiar mountain that Tsuna looked with loathing as they got out of the car.

"We are here again" she muttered, and her shoulders fell when the familiar weight settled on her shoulder again. Seems like the hitman had claimed her shoulder as his official and personal ride. 

"Start climbing" Reborn ordered, and Tsuna sighed, starting to walk the familiar path along with the others. She wondered if she could pretend to trip so that she could drag Reborn down with her, but the idea was quickly discarded as she somehow knew that the hitman would escape and push her down himself.

"What are we doing here?" Yamamoto asked, crossing his arms behind his head and staring at the mountain with awe.

"Training" Reborn answered "You are not leaving until I say so, okay?"

"Okay" Just as simple as that and without more explanations, Yamamoto accepted the fact that they skipped school to climb a mountain to train. Tsuna sometimes wondered how he could be so carefree.

"Hurry up, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn tugged at her hair again, insistent for her to start walking and to annoy her.

"I'm tired, I didn't eat enough for this" She groaned, already imagining the torments that awaited her.

"Don't worry Sawada-san, I packed enough food" Romario said, carrying a basket which was no doubt filled with delicious food.

"You are not having any until I say so" and Reborn broke her dream of eating peacefully.

"Didn't you hear the doctor? I'm a fragile skinny kid, Reborn" she whined, but her words were enough for three guys to turn to look at her with concern and worry.

"Doctor?" Dino asked with a worried voice.

"You went to the hospital? Juudaime are you alright?" Gokudera asked, stopping in front of her to look all over her in search of an injury.

"I'm fine. I just visited the new hobo nurse at school" she waved with a grimace, still mad at that perverted man. Was he even a certified doctor? Does Kyoya know someone infiltrated his school?

"Hobo?" Yamamoto raised an eyebrow at that.

"Shamal is here, Gokudera. Perhaps you should say hello to him. He did ask for you" Reborn told him. 

"Shamal!?" Gokudera exclaimed in horror and turned to look at Tsuna with a guarded expression, placing his hands on her shoulders and looked at her eyes with panic "Did he do something to you? Juudaime, just tell me, if he touched you I will personally kill him!"

"He didn't touch me like that" she murmured, shrugging his hands off. "All the while, he thought I was a boy"

"And he still treated you?" He asked in bewilderment.

"I threatened him" Reborn casually said.

"Figures" Gokudera sighed in relief, making Tsuna look at him with confusion.

"You know him?" Tsuna asked the Italian boy.

"Kinda" he angrily ruffled his hair, as if trying to brush away unwanted memories. Tsuna may be tired and sleepy, but she could still connect small dots of information. And now that he had messed his hair, Gokudera's hairstyle looked a bit familiar.

"Apprentice… He is your…teacher?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, finding it amusing that a pervert hobo was teaching the hotheaded boy. Well, at least she knows where the Italian got his smoke addiction from. And she almost wanted to laugh at the scandalized expression the bomber was making after hearing that.

"Che, not my master! He is simply an acquaintance that was needed for some time" he said with an angry blush, frowning and biting his lips, probably cursing and regretting meeting that man.

Tsuna almost wanted to make fun of him, he was just too cute to resist.

"No need to be embarrassed Gokudera" Yamamoto had no problem though, and slung an arm around the bomber who immediately shrugged it off.

"Shut up! Don't eavesdrop on other people's conversation, idiot!" Gokudera yelled, taking out some dynamite to throw at the baseball ace.

"Maa, Maa~" Said boy only waved his hands with a smile.

A few minutes later of walking and climbing, they arrived at a different clearing from her previous training. Romario took it upon himself to set a blanket on the floor along with the basket of food and some water bottles at ready. Yamamoto was stretching his arms while Gokudera was surveying the place, probably checking if there was any danger nearby.

"So, why are we here?" Tsuna asked, sitting on the floor to rest her sore muscles.

"You three are useless and weak, it hurts my eyes just to see it" Reborn hopped from her shoulder and stood on top of a big rock. The force of his departure made her stumble down with a weak cry but Dino and Gokudera were immediately at her side and helped her sit back. She looked at the baby hitman with annoyance, which he obviously ignored.

"You three lack precision, patience and resolve. We are changing that so be prepared" The hitman raised a black control and pressed a red button. The ground started shaking and some trees swayed. Dino was the one who jumped in surprise when the clearing started changing. The brunette would have screamed along, but she was too busy staring at the new attire the baby hitman was wearing.

" _Oh, he is a Spartan today"_ Tsuna mildly noted. She was more concerned about wondering how he changed so fast instead of the floor opening and the trees moving. Soon, there were some mechanisms on the branches and circle targets on the floor.

"Gokudera" The hitman called, walking towards the right side of the clearing.

"Yes!" The Italian bomber followed him towards the area where red, green and white targets were placed on rows in the ground and some branches.

"Use your dynamite and hit the targets. Only the green ones" Reborn instructed him.

"Yes, Reborn-san!" Gokudera took out some dynamite sticks and got ready to throw them when suddenly, the targets started moving from left to right. Reborn walked away, letting Gokudera stumble on his own and trying to locate the green targets. He approached Yamamoto next.

"You, take this" He handed him a metallic baseball bat.

"A new bat? Thank you!" He cheerfully grabbed it and started experimenting with it. By the third quick swing, the bat became thinner and sharper, making Yamamoto almost release it in shock "whoa!"

"It's a special bat. Take care of it" Reborn told him with a nod at the now transformed sword "Now, slice the balls"

"Eh? Wait!" Dozens of softballs started falling from the branches. Yamamoto instinctively grabbed the sword like he would any common bat and started swinging.

"And Dame-Tsuna" Reborn walked lastly towards the brunette, who was staring to back away with dread and panic forming in her chest. Surely the baby hitman would have some compassion for her weak state, right? He was being nice this morning, there must be a bit of hope. Reborn smirked at her as if reading her thoughts and cornered her under a big tree. "Dodge or die"

Forget any points she awarded him. Reborn didn't have any humanity.

"Wait, Reborn! No!" Tsuna screeched and jumped to her feet quickly, covering her head and running like a headless chicken as pinecones started falling on top of her.

"Ah, memories" Dino said with nostalgia from his place in the picnic blanket, probably reminiscing his times when the hitman was his tutor. Thank god those times are over, he thought with a shudder as yells, groans and swears echoed all around the clearing.

"You still have a long way to go, Baka-Dino" The hitman had no mercy and kicked the blond on the head.

"R-Reborn." He rubbed his head but did nothing to irritate the hitman further. They sat in silence for a few minutes, listening to Gokudera's frustrated huffs, Yamamoto's cheery laughs and Tsuna's high-pitched screams. The hitman was writing and crossing things out in his notebook as he watched the kids try to succeed in their respective tasks.

Dino was also paying close attention; he needed to know if these guys were strong enough to protect the brunette. He had heard of the Smoking Bomb but had never seen him in action. He was agile and seemed to have a good eye to pinpoint the targets, but his short temperament was affecting his work.

The wannabe swordsman on the other hand seemed to be having the time of his life slicing balls and getting hit by them. But he held the sword in a good grip and moved with comfortable movements.

"Good form" Dino whistled in approval, as the kid did a move that managed to slice seven balls in one swing.

"Yamamoto Takeshi, a natural-born hitman. Takes after his father, I suppose" Reborn said at his side, nodding to himself.

"Does the kid know?" Dino asked but somewhat knew it was impossible, for the kid was way too cheerful to actually be a hitman in training. Knowing your father killed people takes a while to settle in, and that's after you get over the initial shock and betrayal after questioning your father's morals. Even Tsuna had trouble when she learned the truth of her father's job, and she was only five years old at that time.

"Not really, but the instinct is there. He just needs to be polished" Reborn said with a bit of satisfaction in his voice, probably coming up with ways to sharpen the rain gem. Poor kid, was all Dino could think.

A frustrated groan made them turn towards the right, where the silver-haired boy was struggling with hitting only the green targets. They were moving at a constant pace, and even if Gokudera had all the green targets in eye lock, they still escaped him, making him hit just the rim or nothing at all.

"He is getting annoyed" The blond pointed out, making Reborn sigh with a nod.

"Quite temperamental, losing focus will only aggravate him more" The hitman said "He can make a perfect hit if he only waits for it"

"Is that your secret? Aim and wait?"

"Of course not, Baka-Dino. I never miss a shot" Reborn said with superiority. Obviously. The blond was tempted to roll his eyes but resisted in fear of a beating. By now the only sounds were the angry huffs, happy laughs, small detonations and balls falling to the ground. No more high-pitched screams, which was weird.

"And Tsuna?" He asked as he turned to see her. And he mentally sweatdropped at the sight, no wonder she stopped screaming. She had found a blind spot near the tree trunk and was resting on it. Smart girl, but not with Reborn around.

"She doesn't listen" Reborn loaded the special bullet into a normal gun, seeing as Leon was out of commission at the moment. "Dame-Tsuna, I told you. You dodge or you die"

"No, don't!" Tsuna screamed but was too slow to move as the bullet impacted on her forehead. She stumbled backwards with a gasp, and then there was a sudden burst of fire in her head, along with newfound energy. "REBORN~ Dodge and live today!"

"Oh my god! Where did her clothes go?!" Dino screamed in scandal while covering his eyes. And thank goodness Bianchi was forbidden to mess with her clothes again, leaving the brunette with some dignity in a red sports bra and black spandex shorts.

In a minute, the energized brunette had gathered the falling pinecones in one spot, creating a small mountain without letting a single cone drop to the floor or hit her. She huffed as the flame on her forehead started to die out, feeling a drop of energy course her body and wanting to drag her down.

"Did I pass?" She asked, wheezing.

"No"

"Uggh!" She leaned against the tree, kicking the mountains of pinecones in frustration.

"Everyone's breathing? Good, then on to the next level" Reborn pushed another button on the controller as he said that "Go!"

"R-Reborn!" She exclaimed in exasperation as the setting around them changed a little.

"Phew! What an intense game practice!" Yamamoto whipped the sweat on his forehead; his ever-present smile still in place.

"Are you kidding me!? Idiot! This is not a game practice!" Gokudera yelled angrily from the other side of the clearing.

"Heh, it's not? But it's fun!"

"You-

"Don't lose your focus" Reborn appeared next to Gokudera, who managed to control a surprised jump. "Stay still, lock eyes on them and wait” He said and Gokudera's eyes locked into the green targets that were spinning even faster "Drop your shoulders and relax your wrist, don't use too much force. The wind can be in on or against you, so take advantage of it"

"Yes! Reborn-san!" He lit some dynamite and waited for a moment to attack. Reborn walked towards Yamamoto, giving him a long stare.

"You, watch your knees" was the only thing he said before walking towards the brunette.

"Yes, sir!" Yamamoto called eagerly and prepared to bat the incoming balls that were being aimed lower in height. Hitting a home run was easy, but not when the balls were aimed at your feet.

Tsuna just looked at Reborn like a deer caught in the headlights as he approached her, and Reborn smirked knowing her instincts were screaming danger in her head by now.

"Jump, Dame-Tsuna"

Saying that, guns appeared behind the bushes and started firing paint at her legs and feet. She screeched and started jumping around like a headless chicken in circles, again.

"Don't stick to a pattern or you won't eat lunch!" Reborn threatened and loaded his gun with another bullet. Tsuna just had time to gasp in shock as Reborn fired another dying will bullet into her head.

"REBORN~ evade to eat lunch!" She exclaimed fiercely, orange flames appearing on her head once again. 

She started running and jumping, not following the same pattern and dodging the paint from hitting her legs. Yamamoto got the hang of it too, flexing his knees and curving his back to gain a better angle for the low balls. Gokudera was the only one focusing hard and having troubles controlling his annoyance at hitting more than one target. But all in all, it was good.

"Reborn! Stop doing that!" Tsuna yelled when she came out of her flame hypnosis. She let herself fall to the floor and rubbed the spots on her legs that were stained with paint.

"Get up, you are not done" Reborn said, appearing next to her and giving her some light kicks on the foot to make her get up. Tsuna groaned and stood up, but had to hold onto a tree, however, as a dizzy spell hit her full force that made her vision blur.

"Reborn, wait… I-" She stammered before taking a deep breath "I don't feel good"

"No excuses" The hitman reproached, but when he turned to look at her, seeing that she looked like she was going to puke, he sighed reluctantly "Fine, take a break"

"Oof" Tsuna fell to the floor as soon as she was given the chance, breathing hard and nursing a headache. She had enough. Her body felt sore and heavy, her eyes were burning and her heart wouldn't calm down. Was she having a panic attack?

"Drink water. Slowly, or you'll choke on it" She heard Romario advise a probably angry Gokudera. Well, at least her thoughts were still coherent.

"You okay, Tsuny?" Dino asked, crouching down next to her to offer her a water bottle.

"My head hurts" She said with a frown, accepting the water and drinking some in tiny gulps. When she was done, Dino hummed and placed a hand on her forehead before leaning down and resting his own forehead on his open palm to compare their temperatures.

"It's warm" He said, removing his hand gently "It must be the fire"

"I have sky flames..." She muttered, blinking up at him as if to share a secret. Her caramel eyes were instantly locked onto warm brown. She suddenly realized how close they were, for the blond had only taken his hand from her head, but not moved from his position.

"So I noticed" He smiled at her, it was warm and special with a hint of nostalgia in it. And Tsuna could feel those damn butterflies again, chasing the dizziness away.

"Break time's over" Reborn's annoying voice broke her dream state and she gasped in horror as the baby kicked Dino in the head, making the blond collapse on the ground. She could only stare at the Spartan baby as he commanded their sentence again "Next, we are doing cardio. You will run as many rounds until I tell you to stop without puking. Ready?"

The three teens stayed still for a moment, processing the order of the hitman.

While Yamamoto was the most athletic of the group, the sudden change in his training regime had tired him out a little. He was feeling ghost pains in his previously injured arm and putting too much strain on the swing was making it feel sore. Gokudera for his part was breathless; all the huffing he did every time he missed a target was giving him a sore throat. Not to mention the tingling on his numb fingers. Tsuna was a completely different story. Her sleepless state combined by the paranoia, hunger and tired body was rapidly wearing her down.

They shared a moment of looking at each other, questioning themselves and asserting the state of their health. Both Tsuna and Gokudera jumped when Reborn blew a whistle.

"Start running" he ordered. The baseball ace was the first to move, followed slowly by Gokudera.

"Seriously?" Tsuna groaned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Dame-Tsuna" she flinched at the tone and gave him a side glance. "Run"

She jumped to her feet and started running like the devil was on her heels. And maybe it was.

It was clear that Yamamoto had the advantage to overpass them, but both boys decided to stick close to Tsuna. And while the baseball ace was trying to engage the brunette in a conversation, the Italian bomber was trying to prevent it, seeing as she was trying to keep her soul inside her throat. Of course, Reborn broke them apart soon after and forced them to run on their own.

"Speed up, Dame-Tsuna. You are falling behind!"

"Don't call me that!" Tsuna yelled from the other side of the clearing, her voice hoarse in effort.

"How many rounds have they done?" Dino asked.

"15, 12 and 5" Romario answered, who was in charge of recording their progress on a small notebook, courtesy of Reborn.

"Pitiful" said the baby hitman with a shake of head.

He let them run until Tsuna managed to complete 10 laps. By that time, she was dizzy and breathless, her throat was breathing nothing more than cold air. She collapsed to the floor as soon as Reborn called time for them to stop. Dino approached her again with a bottle of water, which she drank in one go.

"I'm going to die" She panted, cleaning her chin from drops of water. It was a miracle that she didn't choke with the way she was breathing, perhaps fate was not that bad or maybe it pitied her.

"No, you're not. If I survived then you can too" Dino said with a small laugh, trying to cheer her up.

"Push-ups, now" The Spartan baby commanded, making the teens groan.

"Really, I'm going to die" Tsuna breathed out.

Dino helped her stand up and walked her towards the centre of the clearing, where the other two were rubbing their sore muscles.

"Ready? Go!"

The teens threw themselves to the floor at the same time, but they worked at their own pace. Tsuna's arms were shaking badly, by the time she reached her third push up, she collapsed on the floor to catch her breathing.

"20 more because you stopped"

"Reborn!?" She screeched in shock.

"That's 25, let's go!"

Oh my god, Tsuna almost wanted to cry. She could barely stand on her arms by how badly they were shaking, there was no way she could complete another round.

"That's One! Two! Three!"

She really wanted to kill the hitman. All this past month she had done nothing more than endure his torture in training. And what did she gain? Bruises, sore muscles, and anxiety. Her elbows twisted awkwardly as she pushed down and her knees flexed when she went up, but she didn't care. She would have lost count of how many push-ups they did if the baby hitman wasn't shouting the numbers himself.

She collapsed with a loud groan that was mirrored at her side when the round was over. She also didn't care if the two boys did more work than her, she was too tired and hungry to feel pity for them.

"Put your elbows on the floor and grab some air. You will hold that position and wait there for a minute" Apparently the torture wasn't over.

"Shit" Gokudera swore at her side, no doubt feeling his arms burning. Tsuna has never seen him work out before, it made her wonder where he gained that muscle he had, not that it was being useful at the moment.

"If one goes down, you are all starting over again" Reborn told them, stopping in front of them to put more pressure.

"Ngh, can't feel my arms" Tsuna cried.

"J-Juudaime, hang in there!"

"I really can't feel my arms!"

"Ha-ha, come on, team! We c-can do it!"

"Shut up! You are disturbing me!"

"Dame-tsuna! Lower your back flat!"

"F-Fuck!"

"Language!" Romario reproached the brunette, making Dino laugh in amusement, though he was a little worried for the health of the kids.

If Tsuna was pale in the morning, she was now red in the face for the effort she was making on holding that position. Her arms were going to give up in any minute and her stomach was clenching in on itself.

" _ He wants to kill us!? me?! I don't know anymore!"  _ Tsuna screeched in her mind, Yamamoto was even sweating and Gokudera was trembling badly next to her.

"Time" Oh what a beautiful word.

"Oof" She just collapsed; her jelly arms couldn't support her anymore and her face met the floor. She swears, if Reborn makes her exercise again she was going to puke.

"That was intense" Yamamoto said from somewhere just as breathless as she felt, and he was supposed to be the athletic one. Must be the wonders of being under Reborn's training regime, she weakly thought.

"Can we eat now?" Tsuna asked, hope already digging into the dirt beneath her.

"You won't eat if you don't succeed in your final task. Blindness."

"More?" She asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes" He responded the same way, mocking her.

She groaned as she sat, the world spinning for a few seconds as her eyes settled on the tiny hitman in front of them.

"You three shall accomplish the final task while wearing this" he showed them two pieces of cloth; red and blue. "I'm not going to tell you what to do. But cheat and you lose, take this off and you die"

"Why are there only tw-" The brunette asked but was interrupted by a kick in the head.

"Don't interrupt me, Dame-Tsuna"

"This is abuse!" She cried indignantly.

"Gokudera, you have been throwing bombs restlessly. You need to develop an eagle eye and bat-like hearing. Speed is precision."

"Y-Yes, Reborn-san!" Responded the Italian boy who eagerly wrapped his eyes with the red cloth. Tsuna just gaped at him, how could he be so excited to follow the baby's game?

While Tsuna pondered this, said baby turned towards the baseball ace, handing him the other piece of cloth.

"You. Keep your ears open. Listen to the sound of the wind. Don't swing just to swing"

"Hai, Hai~" Yet again, he willingly wrapped his own eyes and grinned as he turned in different directions "This is so cool!"

Weirdos, both of them.

"And you" She looked down at Reborn with wide eyes "Get lost in the forest and come back"

"…You want me to get lost in a big forest, hungry and tired, and try to find my way back, how?" She asked with incredulity, slowly crawling away from the baby in front of her.

"Listen to any annoying feeling you have. If it screams right, turn right"

"Feeling? How am I even going to find my way out?!" She yelled in frustration, eyes glistening with oncoming tears.

"You will know when you wake up" Reborn loaded his gun "Bye-bye"

Another bullet to the head, and Tsuna knew no more.

**.**

**.**

**.**

_ Annoyed, angry, frustrated. It wasn't fair. Why was she always being left behind? Always being different, an outcast. Even now, after everything, she finally found a place to call her own, she thought she belonged. But she was wrong, the unfairness of life was taking that from her again.  _

_ Childish resentment could easily turn into hatred. _

" _ But I want to have it too!" She exclaimed with hot tears running down her face. _

" _ Face it brat, you are just not compatible to wield it" A voice growled in front of her, pushing her aside. _

" _ You are just being mean!" She yelled after him, her tiny face contorting into that of a snarl "You just want the power all to yourself!" _

" _ Yeah?" The voice mocked her "Then why don't you go and stick your hand into the stove? See if you can wield it too." _

_ Warm _

_ Heat _

_ Burning _

**_It was burning_ **

"!"

Tsuna shouted as she sat up from her laying spot, clawing at her hands as to get rid of the intense heat that coursed through them to make sure they weren't burning. She breathed erratically as she looked around, finding herself alone in a dark part of the forest.

"R-Reborn?" Her voice broke, and she had to take a deep breath to calm her heart "Dino!? Reborn, this isn't funny!"

No response, and deep down she knew she wouldn't get one. She sniffed and looked down, her hands were shaking and slightly pink from her rough treatment. She sighed loudly as a new headache found its way to her head again. She just wanted to go home, sleep in her bed and never come out. Stupid mafia, stupid runaway psycho and stupid Reborn.

Tsuna messed with her hair, tugging it down from her ponytail and rubbing her head in a way to calm her frustration. She looked to the side, where a yellow note was left over a clean folded hoodie. The note read _-'You have 1 hour, come back or find your way home alone.'_ \- with a happy drawing of Leon in his pet form.

"You bastard!" She crumbled the paper angrily and tossed it far away from her. "I'm done!" 

She angrily dressed in the oversized hoodie, which was fine because it at least covered her body form the cold sweat, and she should be grateful that whatever it was that was destroying her clothes with that burst of insane energy didn't leave her shoeless, otherwise she would have really burst into hysterical tears if she had to walk into the forest with bloody feet. She was sure she had blisters though.

"Where do I go now?" she huffed as she looked around, walking in circles and trying to find a familiar nonexistent path. Whatever nonsense Reborn was telling her about was useless, right now she was feeling hungry, tired, anxious, and angry. And her head was killing her, and her body ached and her nose felt ticklish and her thoughts were disturbed by the loud flapping of wings against the leaves.

"Ah! That scared me" She placed a hand over her chest to calm her heart in a vain attempt but it gave her a moment to look up to see what had moved. Up there in a tree, was a white bird, looking down at her.

"Are you my guide?" She asked, wide eyes almost begging. The bird did nothing but to tilt its head to the side and chirped, making Tsuna snort and turn around. "What am I doing? Talking to birds as if they held the answer. Maybe I am losing my mind after all..."

The bird chirped loudly again, making Tsuna jump around to stare at it with suspicion.

"What?" She blinked, seeing the bird still staring at her "Okay, I'm sorry. But it's been a shitty day and I'm tired, so if you have nothing to say, I'm leaving" She turned, raising a hand to massage her throbbing temples but stumbled with a yelp when the bird dived past her and sat into the lower branches off the tree in front of her, making Tsuna glare at it "What is it?!"

The bird didn’t make another sound, it rustled its white feathers and began to fly away, opposite the direction she was headed for. Tsuna stared at it, mind not processing thoughts. But she felt something, a throb in her head and a tug at her core, like a craving to follow something nonexistent.

"Follow a feeling, huh?" She muttered, glassy eyes staring at the floating figure before her legs started moving by their own. She walked away, leaving nothing but a burning piece of paper behind.

**.**

**.**

**.**

It really was a pitiful sight. Huffs and yells and shouts, mixing with groans and angry exclamations as the boys stumbled on their feet and were hit by balls or hitting nothing at all. They were kids! Not even teenagers, but middle school kids and to think Dino was their age when he also started training under Reborn's spartan eye.

Why they were training if Tsuna was the star student, he didn't know. The hitman called it teamwork. If Dino had to guess, Reborn was just annoyed and needed new victims to entertain himself.

Shaking his head, he looked down at the screen he was given to keep track of a poor wandering soul. The red dot did nothing but spin in circles for minutes before stopping and after taking a moment to think, probably, it moved towards the opposite side. Which was good, it was the right direction but now Dino could see no red dot. It just wasn't there.

He frowned and hit the screen with a finger, he even gave it a shake but nothing appeared.

"Hey, Reborn? You installed a tracking chip on Tsuna, right?" Dino called slowly, eyebrows frowning in confusion.

"Can't have the idiot walking off the mountain" The hitman said, who was cosily enjoying a cup of espresso as he oversaw the show in front of him. "Knowing her, she will contradict her intuition and walk to the other direction"

"Umm…It disappeared" He said with dread and worry.

"What?" Reborn turned to glare at him with a stare so intense, Dino could almost feel it cutting through him. Thrusting the screen in front of him to protect himself, he answered with a meek worried voice.

"She's gone"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Stupid Reborn. Leaving me unprotected, tired and naked in the forest when there's a psycho after my head. Making me follow a stupid feeling... and a bird." Tsuna kicked a rock as she walked aimlessly through the forest. "I'm following a bird... Kyoya will scold me up and down, and Kyoko must never find out I talk with animals. I swear, if Bambi appears next, I will kick him" She rubbed her eyes tiredly, the bird chirping every now and then did zero to calm her nerves.

"Weird feeling..." She messed with her hair in frustration "Ah! It's weird alright!" The situation was just so laughable and stupid, whatever Reborn wanted her to achieve must be something ridiculous. "Hey, just so you know, if you are leading me into a trap, I will skin you and burn you" The bird chirped as if offended, and Tsuna merely shrugged not caring for the bird's feelings.

So far, she had walked towards the right part of the forest. She couldn't explain with clear words what she was really feeling; it was like a tingly sensation coursing through her veins with every step she took, and if she were to take a step backwards, that sensation would spike like tiny needles. It was like a silent warning or a sentient force pulling on her strings like a puppeteer.

And so she kept going and going, murmuring and cursing in a quiet voice, feet tripping on rocks and arms swatting branches angrily away. Her mind was separating from her body’s actions, no longer registering where she was going, only moving and thinking and hearing a silent whisper. She was so unaware of it all, that she didn't notice her body turning before the bird did.

It would have been perfect if she could just walk away from her troubles and fears, away from the mafia, Vongola, Reborn, sky flames, flames, sky, Vongola. She was losing it, her thoughts forming into a puddle of cold water that sent shivers down her spine. It was such a calming sensation, having a fogged mind that consumed her thoughts and wiped them into nothingness.

Until it wasn't.

That tingly sensation turned into ants crawling into her head and down her spine, her eyes started going out of focus and limbs tensing as her body swayed dangerously. It was the signal of a dizzy spell, a very dangerous one.

"Ngh" She leaned against a tree, one hand against her forehead as she called for a stop to her little companion. "Hey, can we stop for a minute… I don't…"

But the bird wasn't there anymore. Was it even there in the first place?

She breathed and her mind spaced out. There was a buzzing in her ears, like everything she was hearing was nothing but an echo. Like a faraway frequency, a buzzing sound that got stronger as she turned to face East.

She leaned against a tree, breathing hard. Head pounding and body feeling cold, it was cold.

Next thing she knows, she is choking. She coughs as she tries to breathe but something warm running down her nose stopped her from inhaling. Opening her mouth to drag air in, she brings a hand to rub at her nose but her eyes blink in confusion as she stared down at her red fingers.

"The hell?" She whispered.

"Are you alright, young lady?"

Like an explosion, all fogginess in her mind disappeared and her primal body reaction was to throw a fist into the direction of the voice with a girly yell.

She stared with wide-open eyes as a hand much bigger than hers stopped her punch. A boy, taller but a bit skinny, was staring down at her with a curious blue eye. And what a sight she must be, apparently looking like a madwoman with blood on her face.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to scare you" His voice was soft, although it held a ring of amusement at the end of it.

"Who are you, what do you want?" Tsuna curled into herself, snatching her hand back and glared at him.

"I'm a traveller. I'm searching for a way out of the mountains" He raised his hands up to indicate no danger. "My companions and I camped the night, but I woke up alone. Now I'm lost, I'm afraid. Until I found you. It's quite dangerous for a girl to be out in the woods, alone and hurt no less"

"I'm not alone. My guardian and friends are here" She tried to wipe the blood from her nose with her sleeve, but she only created a bigger mess.

"I see, but not with you right now" He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm armed" She glared at him.

"How insightful" He smirked, and it was a pretty little sight that she wanted to punch. "Here, allow me" He moved his hand, making Tsuna step back warily. She didn't need Reborn's training to know she shouldn't trust strangers in the woods. But the boy just looked at her straight in the eyes, assuring her with a hint of mischief that he meant no ill intent "I won't hurt you"

And with a twist of his wrist, a white handkerchief appeared out of nowhere.

"How did you do that?" She started mesmerized by the action.

"Magic" He smirked and handed her the piece of cloth. She looked at him before looking down at the offered handkerchief. She grabbed it, murmuring a small thank you and started cleaning her face, grimacing as some of the blood had run down her lips and she tasted the coppery substance.

"Want to see another trick?" He asked with an amused voice. He didn't wait for a confirmation, knowing – and Tsuna hating – that he had her complete attention. With another flicker of his wrist, Tsuna watched with wondering eyes as a red rounded fruit appeared from thin air.

"An apple?" She asked, raising an eyebrow as he offered it to her.

"It's not poisoned, see?" He bit it, swallowing and waving the fruit after he was done as a sign of safety. 

"What do you want?" She asked warily, not falling for his magic tricks. And although her body was tense and ready to bolt, her mind was quiet. There were no ants or fogginess like before, it was just quiet. Why was it quiet? What were the whispers from before? Wait, focus.

"Hn, how about we help each other find the road out of the mountains?" The boy asked, hand creating another apple out of thin air. "It's getting dark, I'm sure your friends are getting worried"

"What's in it for me?" She crossed her arms, hand fisting the bloodied handkerchief as her eyes judged his.

"A pleasant company in a walk out of the woods" He said, smirking. Perhaps knowing it was grating on her nerves. And although it annoyed her, her instincts didn't raise any red flags. The boy let her stare at him, judging and seeing. He somehow felt like Kyoya. Like the calm before the storm.  Cold and clear, peaceful with a hint of danger and the smell of morning mist.

"You are not lying… are you?" She uncrossed her arms, and somehow; somehow, she knew he wouldn't hurt her. She just did.

"Why would I?" He offered her the red fruit once again "After all, the best way to know someone is to find their way from their lost path together. Shall we?"

"Hmm…" She hummed and grabbed the offered fruit, ignoring the way his smirk widened. Tsuna bit the apple while staring at him dead in the eyes, decision made.

"Let's go, mountain boy. Let my nagging conscience lead the way" She started walking away, going in the direction she had been walking towards to all along. 

As she ate the fruit and tasted the sweet flavour, her mind started to clear and for a moment, she started to wonder if perhaps there was something wrong with her. There was a sensation inside her, in her head and in her core. A tugging and a tingle. She had felt it before, many times but never this intense. Never this clear. And only now she was starting to acknowledge  _ that _ feeling. And it was guiding her; how she knew, there was no answer. 

She just did.

She had to grimace at that thought, another weird thing to add to her personal list. The boy, as if reading her thoughts, laughed.

"Kufufu, what an odd lady you are~"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsuna's nightmares/dreams are important, but why she has them and what they mean, well, that's one of the plots of the story.
> 
> I know Shamal's personality might be a bit off; it's been a while since I last read/saw him, so I just wrote him as a laidback, hobo-like-doctor. I just can't wait for his reaction when he realizes Tsuna is a girl, and him treating a "boy" so easily, well, let's just say that Reborn can threaten just fine when he truly means it.
> 
> Also, the skull disease doesn't exist in this fic. This is, after all, an alter universe. That's the only clue I'm giving~


	10. Afternoon Assault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’re finally starting the Kokuyo Arc!   
> Let me know your theories so far! 
> 
> Hope you like the chapter!

**.**

**.**

**.**

Life sucks.

One moment you could be in eternal glory and the next living in a dumpster.

He had it all; he was good looking, popular, girls lining up to talk with him, even the old ladies call him a charming good boy. You name it.

But ever since that Sawada girl beat him in a kendo match, he lost it all. Like magic. One moment there, the next gone. Well, not really. His looks were still there, his friends still hung out with him, girls still blushed when he smirked at them, but it just wasn't the same.

People now made fun of him for losing to a girl, losing to Dame-Tsuna, no less. They weren’t taking him seriously and he had to do a lot of bravado to get away from their teasing. Why couldn't she be like any other girl who fawned over muscles and pretty dates?

She was pretty, back then when she was new at Namimori primary's school. A cute, foreigner, shy and clumsy eight-year-old girl. He tried to befriend her, like the responsible class president of class B that he was, but she refused. She glared at him, and proceeded to trip as she walked away, bumping into the shelf that held the classroom mascot fishbowl, making it crash to the floor and killing it. Thus gaining the title of Dame-Tsuna.

And as they grew up, so did her awkward beauty. It was crazy how sometimes she was like a princess, holding up to the standards of their school idol Sasagawa Kyoko, then the next day she was just a zero with no name and then there were other times where she wasn't even there. Or maybe she was and people just didn't notice her.

But whatever, he was done with her. Who did she think she was, refusing him, hating him. It's not like he bullied her, what's light teasing between classmates? She never got angry at his innocent remarks, so what was the problem?

He was immersed in those thoughts as he walked away from school. Classes were finally over and he just wanted to laze around town. Well, he could’ve been going on a date with a certain orange-haired girl, but now it was impossible.

"Hey, you!"

Curse that brunette girl. Couldn't she mind her own business? But no, she had to be the only girl who stood up to him, fought him, beat him and walked away without sparing him a second glance. He didn't even knew she could lift a sword, let alone take a point from him. And yet, that match ended sooner than he thought with him on the losing side.

If only…

"Oi" An annoyed voice barked behind him "I'm talking to you"

"What do you want?" He growled, annoyed as he turned to look at a boy no much older than himself looking down at him.

"You are a Namimori student, Moichida, ain’t right?" He didn't ask, he talked as if he didn't need confirmation and by the tone of his voice, he couldn't care less if he was right or wrong.

"What is it to you, punk?" He raised his chin up, by the crazy look and the different uniform the boy was wearing could only mean one thing. He cracked his neck in preparation and it was a good thing that the street was empty from those annoying disciplinary committee members. There was no one to hold him back.

"See, we are looking for someone, yo~" The other boy licked his sharp teeth.

"The name?"

A bloodthirsty grin was his only answer.

Damn that girl.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Tsuna!"

"Reborn, you're evil! How could you make me walk alone in the forest when I'm hungry, tired and paranoid! I almost had a panic attack when I woke up!" The brunette yelled as soon as she stepped out of the tree line, where she was met with relieved and anxious faces.

"Juudaime!"

"Tsuna, are you okay?!" Dino asked, holding her shoulders and inspecting her body for any injuries, and once he spotted the red stains on her hoodie, he screeched in panic "Oh my god, is that blood?!"

"I'm okay! I'm not hurt!" She waved her hands, trying to calm him down but all it did was alarm him further because her sleeve held a much bigger bloodstain.

"Where were you, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn demanded, narrowing his eyes at her.

"I was lost in the forest!"

"Now is not the time for your sass. Where were you? You disappeared from the cameras"

"You were spying on me?" She asked with wide eyes, hands immediately scratching at her arms "You planted a tracking device on me?! Reborn, what the hell!? Take it off! Oh lords, is it on my skin? Did you inject it in my skin?!"

"Calm down, Dame-Tsuna. What happened in there?"

"I was with-…" She turned to look back, words dying in her throat at finding no one behind her. "I swear there was a guy behind me just now"

"A guy?"

"He gave me an apple" She grimaced, bringing a hand up to her lips. It did happen; she ate that apple… that was real, right?

"You trusted a stranger, in the woods, alone, because he gave you an apple" Reborn's exasperated voice made her snapback.

"Shut up! I was hungry, besides, I… he said he wouldn't hurt me, and even though I was scared, I believed him…" She rubbed her head in frustration "You told me to trust something, well I did and here I am"

He knew there was more to it. Reborn could clearly see her panicked eyes looking around in every direction, searching for something that wasn’t there.

"What happened, are you okay? Did he do anything to you?" Dino asked, rubbing her shoulders gently and trying to lose her tension a little.

"No, we just talked about the weather" And they really did. It was the most random conversation she ever had, talking about the weather forecast with a stranger in the forest. Tomorrow will rain for sure.

"You were gone for like 30 minutes Tsuna, did anything fun?" Yamamoto asked with a tilt of his head, he was sincerely curious but the concern was there in his face too.

"Not really"

"That bastard didn't do anything to you, right? Where the hell is he then? How dare a stranger approach you in the forest? That creepy pervert!" Gokudera ranted, trying to walk past her to search for said mystery guy.

"It's fine, he just wanted to help"

_'Maybe we should find him?'_ where the nonexistent words she should have said, but didn't. Because deep down, she knew that guy wouldn't be there anymore.

"Can we eat now? I'm back and safe" She pleaded the baby hitman, who remained watching her in silence. She suppressed a shiver at the intensity of those eyes and turned to see the other two teens, noting they were dirty and tired from their own intense training.

"Yeah, come on. Romario already set the blanket" Dino wrapped an arm around her and guided her towards the picnic blanket. She was forever grateful for the warm presence of the blond. She could feel the tension on her shoulders leaving, it was like she could properly breathe again, all bad thoughts were forgotten for a moment.

Reborn didn't opposed to the idea of lunch, so they all cheered and sat down eagerly. And thank god Dino didn't let go of the brunette. Tsuna was the epitome of a baby deer learning to walk by how much she was shaking by the time they arrived at the picnic blanket.

"Here you go" Offering her a bento box, everyone started to eat.

"Thanks for the food!"

It was silent for some minutes, the teens practically inhaling their food after an intense workout; it was a wonder no one was choking.

"You guys endure it pretty well, it amazes me you can still have the energy to eat" Romario exclaimed, already preparing with some apple juice in case someone did end up choking. 

"Well, baseball training helped a lot for my stamina. But I think we did pretty well today" Yamamoto said after swallowing some sushi rolls. They were not as tasty as his father's own recipe, but they were all right for an empty stomach.

"Talk for yourself" Gokudera murmured angrily.

"Still, you surprised me, Tsuna. I had never seen you so energetic, not even in gym class" Yamamoto directed his attention to the quiet brunette, clearly ignoring the fuming boy next to him.

"That's because my life wasn't being threatened"

And it was true. Thinking back on it, she was always last in gym class because the devil wasn’t at her heels. She never scored a point because even though she and her classmates didn't get along, she gained nothing in actually working with them. She didn't even try in life because there wasn't a gun being pointed at her head. Then everything changed when a hitman arrived at her home, with said gun changing everything.

"Does anyone want to say something about what we learned today?" Reborn asked.

"Is this a therapy group session?" She asked with a heavy groan, not in the mood of talking.

"Oh! I'll go first!" Yamamoto raised his hand as if he was still in school. "I have good reflexes, but I tend to swing too hard and turn my shoulders to the right, leaving my left side in the open"

"You realized it on your own?" Dino asked in amazement.

"Yeah, old habits die hard I guess. But I will try to let them die" Said the baseball ace with confidence, gaining a nod from the baby hitman.

"Good. Gokudera?" Reborn directed his attention to the Italian boy, who sat up straight at being spoken directly.

"Yes! I have a good aim but lack speed and precision. I need to practice more"

"You also get easily frustrated and lose sight of the target" Added Yamamoto.

"You-"

"Kids, behave" One reprimand from the baby in charge and they shut up. "And you Dame-Tsuna?"

She blinked owlishly at him, mouth full of uneaten food. She took her time to chew and swallow, grabbing a napkin to clean the corners of her mouth and dust any rice that might have fallen on her before clearing her throat and looked at the hitman straight in the eyes.

"I'm a brainless fire chicken who jumps before thinking, and apparently, I must listen to my bug-of-a-conscience before doing something stupid"

"Good, you all did well today. Tomorrow we will step it up, so don't do anything reckless" Reborn clapped his hands, being done with the auto evaluation.

"Okay kiddos, let's go to the hospital" Romario said, standing up to start cleaning up once everyone was done with their plates.

"Yes, please" Tsuna almost sobbed in relief.

"Tsuna, you should eat more" Dino frowned, as she barely ate 2 onigiris.

"If I do, I think I'm going to puke"

"Here, drink this. It has vitamins to give you energy" He offered her a juice box, which she took gladly.

It didn't take them long to pick up the things and be on their way. The ride back was the same as before, only this time, as soon as Gokudera and Yamamoto started arguing, Tsuna fell asleep while leaning on the window, thus ceasing any conversation in the car. No one dared to wake her up, and Dino may or may not have taken a few pictures of her sleeping face.

For the brunette, it felt like seconds. One moment she was dozing in the car; the next, the blond Italian was shaking her awake. She looked at him with a pout, wanting to sleep some more but everyone was already getting out of the car. Gokudera offered to carry her on his back before Dino even attempted, but she refused and walked with heavy legs to the hospital.

"Why didn't we visit a real doctor if we were going to the hospital anyway?" She asked tiredly, not even flinching when a heavyweight was placed on her shoulder.

"I don't trust these doctors" Reborn told her.

"But you trust a pervert hobo"

"And you trust me"

"Not really, but I'm good at pretending"

And she said it so bluntly it almost, almost, tugged something in his little heart. But trust is not something easily earned, and he couldn't care less if a teenager girl trusted him or not.

They made her go first for a check-up. And after her wounds were cleaned and received a vaccine for possible infections and to raise her body defences, she was quietly drinking from another juice box the Dino gave her in the waiting room area.

What were the chances the baby hitman was going to give her a free afternoon? She wondered. All she wanted to do was go to bed and sleep for a long time. She was starting to consider drugging herself with the sleeping pills despite the headaches, so long as they did their work.

"Can I visit someone?" She suddenly asked Dino, but the question was directed to the hitman sitting beside her "Ryohei-senpai was admitted yesterday"

"Senpai?" Yamamoto asked with a raised eyebrow. "The loud boxer who demands people to join his extreme boxing club?"

"Yup"

"Let's go together then! I need to pay my respects"

"You make it sound like he died" She snorted but waved her hand "It's okay, Gokudera is about to come out, so you better wait your turn"

"I'll catch up then"

"I'd be back" She nodded and stood up, not waiting for an answer.

"I'll walk with you" Dino was at her side in seconds, walking next to her.

"You don't have to" But she didn't have the heart to stop him. Truly, she missed his ever-glowing presence.

"I will stay outside, don't worry" He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders "Aren't your legs cold?"

"Not really"

And she walked away, being aware of the heavy stare that was following her every move.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Deep down, she was praying that a certain orange-haired girl wouldn't be there, wanting to be over with the visit as soon as possible.

"I won't take long" She looked back at Dino, and without waiting for a response, she opened a door in the hallway and entered the white room. Why were the hospital’s walls white? She absentmindedly wondered. It must drive someone mad at starting at them for so long.

"Sawada!" A loud voice welcomed her as soon as she walked inside and she fought back a smile as she shut the door gently, walking towards the bed to see the boxer wrapped in bandages and ugly purple bruises all over his face.

"You made your sister worry, again" She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall next to the window.

"It really surprised me this time! They even knocked a few teeth" He exclaimed proudly. Was having your teeth knocked out something to be proud with?

"And yet, you still talk" She pointed out, seeing as his teeth were obviously replaced already. "So? Who was it?"

"Some punks from another school. They were looking for you" He sends her a questioning look, one that she ignored. Instead, she sighed and turned to look outside the window, staring at the busy streets of cars and people.

"There's danger lurking at every shadow. At this rate, Namimori won't be safe anymore"

"It never was" His grave voice answered without missing a beat. Tsuna closed her eyes for a minute, a heavyweight settling in her chest as her thoughts rushed past her mind.

"Senpai…That proposal from five years ago… it's on. I will let you fight in any situation involving me and don't tell your sister about it. So long as you hold to your end of the deal"

Ryohei gave her a stern look before nodding.

"I never go back to my word"

"Good. I'll keep in touch" Being done with it, Tsuna walked out of the room without looking back. She was half tempted to ask what kind of excuse he told his sister this time, but that would require more time she wasn't willing to spend.

"That was quick" Dino raised an eyebrow when he saw her exit the room and closed the door. She wasn't even there for 5 minutes.

"He was sleeping" Was her response and tugged at his jacket to make him follow her back to the waiting area where the others were. Dino made a confused sound but followed her without question.

And again, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to hide her tiny figure from view, because really, why did Reborn make her parade around with few clothes? It could be a form of training her body defences or maybe the brunette's mind, but with Tsuna being a girl it was just wrong in every way.

Everything was wrong with the baby hitman, but no one was worthy –or crazy- enough to question him.

Out of nowhere, as they were rounding a corner they were stopped by the sound of rushing footsteps and a rolling stretcher heading their way. Tsuna stepped back to let them pass, dragging the blond Italian with her. She would have dismissed it as a nameless patient being taken to emergency, if it wasn't for the body in it that she recognized.

She has cross feelings over that guy. It was a mixture of annoyance and amusement. For a moment her mind was blank, not processing any thoughts until the stretcher was at her very side, and wide panicked eyes met hers.

How she hated this guy. He flirted with her and every girl in school, made fun of her misfortune and was a brainless monkey like Hana likes to call him.

But it was a surprise because it was also the same guy who tried to make her laugh on her first day of school and climbed a tree to impress her when she was at the playground by herself. Seeing Ryohei hurt was a common sight, this however, wasn't.

He was a bully, yeah. But he never physically hurt others. He was a great kendo fighter, so she has never seen him with such a beaten face like right now. What a bloody sight it was.

"Moichida… senpai…"

"Tsu-Tsunayuuki" He gasped and looked at her frantically "Run! They are coming for you"

Tsuna was about to question him when suddenly, a violent grip on her arm made her jump in surprise. Gasping when she was pushed towards the wall with a dark presence looming in front of her, she looked up with wide eyes, staring into stormy grey that were glaring down at her.

"K-Kyoya!"

"You lied to me" He growled, narrowing his eyes.

"What?"

"There's a killer in Namimori out to get you" His grip tightened on her arms, and she was sure he was this close in taking out his tonfas to whack some people. Her, maybe.

"I just found out too!" She exclaimed but her words were dismissed as Kyoya roughly pulled her towards him as he stalked away, making her almost trip as she tried to catch up.

"Hey! Let go of her!" Dino quickly grabbed at Tsuna's other arm, and she was soon in the middle of a tugging war.

"You two, stop it!" She was about to kick the one who was holding her more tightly -Kyoya- but he acted first and slashed a tonfa towards the Italian's hand, making him let go of her with a gasp of pain. Kyoya took the opportunity to drag her towards the elevator.

"Kyoya, wait! Where are you taking me?"

"Home"

"Wait! Dino?!" She exclaimed in alarm and turned to glare at the boy next to her "Kyoya, you are being ridiculous!"

"Hey! Where do you think you are taking her?!" Dino tried to rush towards them but the doors to the elevator were closed in his face.

"Stop it" Tsuna snatched her hand from his grip "You can't just lock me in my house!"

"So are you going to fight him?"

"No! I don't know?! This is too sudden" Tsuna groaned and hunched down, hiding her face in her hands to try and calm down.

"Why now?"

"I became the bloody candidate for the throne of one of the biggest Mafias families. I'm a threat, they want me gone or use me as bait"

"So let's bite them to death"

"You alone can't win against them" Tsuna sighed and tangled her fingers through her hair, ignoring the offending glare from the boy next to her. "Don't give me that look, the mafia will make the yakuza seem like a bad school play. As we are now, we can't survive"

Kyoya was looking down at her with an intense glare, probably mad that she called him weak. Tsuna breathed out and stood up, crossing her arms on her chest and leaning back towards the elevator wall.

"I'm not learning much from Reborn, all I do is run around in underwear and stand his abuse. Do you know how many times I have been woken up by a mallet? I even did pushups with a freaking rock in my back!"

And her hands went back to tugging her hair. She seriously needed some mediation advice or she will end up going bald at this point.

"How do I become powerful in a short time?" She mumbled as she looked at their reflections through the metal door.

"Bite people to death"

"I don't think that will work on me. I tried before, remember?"

And how can they forget that, such glorious and pitiful memories.

"Stop smirking" She deadpanned.

"hn"

They stood in silence for a moment, contemplating the past with the present until Tsuna realized the elevator wasn't moving through all the time.

"Are you going to push the button?" She asked with a curious tone and had to hold back a giggle at his annoyed expression.

As they descended, Tsuna couldn't help but feel calm in the presence of the prefect next to her. Ever since she returned to Japan, his shadow has always been there. Hunting and waiting. It was difficult to stay away from him whenever she felt in danger. It should be considered cowardice, but he was the one who sought her first so she didn't feel guilty.

She let him pull her away from the hospital and into the streets, his grip tightening around her wrist when the crowd of people increased around them. He must be using a lot of self-control for using such a noisy path instead of the empty alleys, but she didn’t dare to point it out. He will never admit it and Tsuna will never question it, but the grip on her skin although tight was warm, and that was enough of an answer for both of them.

Nearing the resident district, Tsuna had to abruptly stop when a ringing sensation coursed through her spine and up to her mind. She turned her head to the right, in the direction of an alley that leads to a park. Kyoya looked back at her, silently asking why she stopped but turned to look in the direction where she was starting with a curious and confused expression.

Tsuna couldn’t really put a name to it, it was like a tugging sensation, barely-there but so present and demanding, it was difficult to ignore it.

What was it that Reborn said? Listen to an annoying feeling?

"You want to fight someone? Follow me"

Hibari did with curious and expecting eyes. Bloodthirsty monster, Tsuna thought with fondness. She didn’t know what they were going to expect once they crossed the alley, but they soon found a troubling sight, one where a group of men wearing black suits were surrounding and kicking a little kid holding a huge book and trying to steal it.

"Oi Scum! What do you think you are doing?! Bullying a kid!" Tsuna snarled, immediately grabbing the attention from everyone.

"Look here, guys! A beauty showed up"

"Just die"

"Yeah? You and what army?"

"I will bite you to death"

There wasn't anything grand about the fight, a few hits here and there, and the bad guys were on the floor, courtesy of Namimori's demonic prefect. While Kyoya was busy tying the unconscious men, Tsuna approached the kid with caution.

"You okay little guy?"

"Yes, thank you so much" He held the book closer to his chest with one hand while he used the other to wipe the dirt from his face, but when he looked at her to thank her, he broke into a big smile "You are her, yes you are! You are Tsunayuuki!"

"Tsuna it's fine" She muttered as she knelt down "How do you know me?"

"I read you" he grinned, and Tsuna raised an eyebrow in confusion "It says here that you are the one whom I could trust the most in helping me"

"You need to be clearer, I don't understand"

"I can read statistics from all over the world, with this book, I can know things" He told her in an excited whisper with eyes shining with mirth. Tsuna was 100% sure that one shouldn't confess worthy information with a huge smile as if he was wishing 'happy birthday' to a stranger, but this kid just did that.

"Is that why they were bugging you?"

"Rokudo Mukuro wants to find you, he's trying to use me" Hugging his book closer to his chest, the boy looked back at the unconscious men in a pile with a pout. Tsuna frowned, hearing the kid speak that name send a shiver through her skin.

"Those are his henchmen?"

"Some of the many"

"My patrol is on their way to question them" Kyoya told her, levelling the kid with a calculating stare.

"We can't leave him here"

"Pick him up then"

Tsuna licked her lips, contemplating the situation. She turned back to see big brown eyes looking back at her with innocence and expectation. How did a kid who was haunted and abused by the Mafia could still hold that kind of happiness in him?

There was a nasty, tiny feeling of jealousy in her heart. And she wondered, if she had this look once upon a time instead of a bitter stare, would Kyoya… would anyone have looked her way or would they have walked past her and forgotten her?

Sighing, Tsuna stood up. She didn't want to give hope to a little kid, but something told her he already knew what he was getting into. Which is why she asked,

"Wanna get some ice-cream?"

A huge smile was her answer.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Some time later, the kid was enjoying a double strawberry cone with that huge book of his securely on his lap as they sat on the swings, while Kyoya was leaning against a post with his arms closed, just like a watchdog.

"You are from the Mafia, right? What family?"

"I'm Fuuta de la Stella, but… I want to belong to yours"

"I don't have one"

"Maybe not yet"

Cheeky brat, Tsuna will have to give him that as she finished her own ice cream.

"So, that book told you I could protect you?"

"It doesn't just tell me, it's more like a ranking system. I can see information out of numbers and statistics; it helps me find the best solution for something. People had used this system to find a better way to steal things and grab glory, it doesn't show me the future, just a possible way to access it"

"So you’re like a space hacker then"

"That sounds so cool!" The kid; Fuuta, jumped down in excitement as he balanced his cone in one hand to hold his book in the other one "I can show you!"

"No, no! It's okay, put the book down" Tsuna waved her hands, and once the kid was sitting on the swing again, she sighed "Listen Fuuta, I can't protect you like you want me to. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I can't deal with the Mafia right now"

"You are Vongola Decimo"

"A candidate, an unwilling one…" She shook her head and turned her eyes up to the vast sky. "My life is a mess, I don't have the power to protect myself right now, and I can’t risk what little I have for you"

They were harsh words for a little kid searching for safety, but there was no point in lying. She didn't take Lambo out of pity, she didn't take I-pin out of generosity, and she wasn't going to take this kid for protection. There was no nefarious plan, but she didn’t welcome them from the bottom of her heart either.

"I know. Which is why you are my best choice" Fuuta whispered with a smile, eyes never losing the bright spark as he gazed at her.

"You're a strange kid, you know that?" It was a losing battle from the start, but at least she won't feel guilty if he ended up disappointed. She let him finish his ice cream, and one look at the skylark ahead of her told her that time was up.

"It's getting late. Come on, let's get you home" She stood up stretching, but shivered as soon as cold air hit her legs. She had completely forgotten that she was only wearing a hoodie beneath spandex shorts after rushing out of the hospital. How embarrassing, damn it Reborn.

"Home?" She turned to look back at the little boy; who was tasting the word as it was foreign, perhaps it was and maybe it tasted just like the creamy strawberry ice cone he just had.

"Yeah. You will like it, it's a bit crowded and noisy, but it's home. Shall we?"

"Yes!" Fuuta held her hand eagerly and started to pull her forward. Did he even know where her house is? The book was supposed to give statistics, not real answers, and yet she let the kid lead her.

"Don't say a word" She didn't even turn to look at Kyoya to know there was a mocking stare directed her way. Who was he to talk? He has a soft spot for tiny animals, so why was this different? Fuuta only blinked at him when he started following close behind. Did he just realize his presence?

"Don't mind him, he doesn't really bite"

"I know, Hibari-san is ranked number 3 out of the people Tsuna-nee trusts the most" Fuuta said cheerfully, starting to swing their intertwined hands together as they walked.

"How did you know his name? Better yet, I'm your sister now?" She asked with a raised eyebrow down at him. The kid practically stalked her and was self-adopting himself into her family.

"Of course!"

What if this was a trap though? Her nagging thoughts wondered, but the foggy mist from before made itself present once again, clouding her mind and whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

No, the kid wouldn't betray her.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't cause trouble.

Well, anyhow, it was too late to back down, for they were already by the front of her house.

"Wait here" She told Kyoya before leading Fuuta into his new home.

Closing the door gently, she didn't need to tell him to remove his shoes, he was already lining them at the entrance.

"Mom, I'm back!" She called and waited for her mother to appear from the living room.

"Welcome back" She greeted her with a smile but then blinked as she stared at the kid next to her "Ara? Another child? Tsuna-chan, where do you keep finding them?"

"I don't even know anymore…" Tsuna dropped her shoulders, ashamed of just piling trouble for her mother. "His name is Fuuta, he doesn't have a family…"

"Of course he can stay. You are welcome for as long as you want" Nana leaned down to smile at the kid.

"Thank you so much! I promise I won't be a bother. I can clean too!"

"O nonsense, enjoy your time here. Dinner will be in an hour, why don't you get to know everyone?"

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Miss Sawada"

"Such manners, what a gentleman!" While her mother gushed about cute little gentlemen kids, the total opposite of that approached her.

"Baka-Tsuna"

"Lambo" She stared down at him, headache in the way at his inevitable tantrum.

"You brought me another lackey?" He asked with wide eyes "Thank you"

"Y-yeah" She relaxed her shoulders and nodded at I-pin who was shyly hiding behind her mother "Everyone, get along and introduce each other okay? I'll be right back"

She stepped out of the house before a commotion could happen and walked towards the dark figure standing in front of her house. Kyoya was leaning against the gate and surveilling the area with calculative eyes. It was kinda touching that he was trying to keep this place safe, and she also wouldn't put it past Reborn to guard the neighbourhood with cameras and radars so she felt sure in saying her home was safe.

"We'll take care of him. My house is looking more like a hotel for runaway mafia kids anyway"

"What do you know about the attacks?"

"Not much" She sighed as she stood next to him "I know I am their main target, but as Reborn said, they are not expecting a girl. These attacks aren't at random though, they have a pattern. If Moichida and Ryohei were attacked by the same person, then that means they’re following a list. The question is, who is next?"

"Ask the kid"

"I'm not going to use him" she crossed her arms and ignored the unfazed stare in return, well at least one of them was being honest.

"Besides… knowing who is in the hospital gives you your answer already, don't you think?"

"You and I are the only ones left"

The way he said it, did Kusakabe also…? She groaned at that thought.

"Gokudera and Yamamoto must be in there too… such a pain" She murmured with a frown and swatted away an annoying mosquito from her face "I'll try to search more information about this guy, in the meantime…"

She turned to see him, only for him to be walking away with an intense glare.

"Wait, Kyoya. I know that look"

"What look?"

" _ That  _ look" she stressed "Please don't do anything stupid"

"I've never done anything stupid"

"Yes, you have"

She whispered. If he heard it or not, he just kept walking away, leaving Tsuna alone to dwindle in unforgotten memories that will haunt them both to their graves.

"You become involved with me"

And there was no way he could forget that.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Why did you leave her alone!?"

"That Dino guy tagged alone, it's not my fault Tsuna ran away again" Yamamoto crossed his arms behind his head, following the fuming Italian down the streets of Namimori.

"You can't trust anyone! And better yet, why are you still doing here?" Gokudera snapped back at him, annoyed that the idiot has been following him since the hospital. Dino had come back screeching about Juudaime being stolen by the demonic school prefect moments before Gokudera came out from his obviously useless and forceful check-up.

Reborn had merely blinked but did nothing to pursue his runaway charge.

Which was frustrating, Gokudera thought silently. He had been notified about that crazy guy seeking Vongola Decimo out. It was his duty after all, to keep guard and destroy any danger surrounding his boss. And although he liked to believe that the greatest hitman wouldn't let danger fall directly into his student, it wasn't like it could be helped. There was meant to be a confrontation sooner rather than later.

And that's what worried him the most. His Juudaime's flames were like a beacon, the perfect bait if you would call it. He grew up hearing all about sky flames, how powerful their alluring and harmonization could be. He always dreamed and longed to be under the warm cloak of the Sky.

But nothing, nothing could compare to the actual taste of them. Her flames were the purest energy he had ever felt. It was impossible to think that such bright power belonged to the dark Mafia world. But it did. They were pure, yes, but intoxicating as well. Like a drug, one taste wasn't enough.

He knew he wasn't the only one soaking in those flames, unconsciously or not. Which is why it was so dangerous to be away from her. With just one look, a Mafia scavenger could recognize such powerful flames and connect the dots. Sure, no one was expecting a girl to be Vongola Decimo, he certainly didn't. But anyone would recognize a Sky flame user.

"Oi, punk!" Well shit, his skin bristled at the inevitable fight that was about to happen. Maybe leaving the brunette in the protection of the fearsome prefect was a good idea, if only to buy her one more day of safety.

"Italian, right?"

"What is it to you?" he asked with annoyance. Stopping his walk to turn back and stare at the two boys who had stepped in front of them, both sporting green uniforms to a school far away from their own. One of them had a scar on his face and the other a tattoo, but while they looked like delinquents, it was easy to spot the killing intent they ported.

"Friends of yours?"

Gokudera wasn't religious, he was more of a science type of guy but right there and then he prayed at whatever deity in the skies to keep the baseball idiot from spluttering any valuable information.

"See, we are looking for someone, byon. No one has been able to help us, maybe you will be our lucky shot"

"Get lost"

"Come on, what harm would it be to help?" Yamamoto asked, staring at the newcomers with curiosity.

"Idiot, just shut up and get out of here"

"No need to be so mad. See, we are looking for someone called Decimo. The words Vongola ring any bell?"

"Oh! You mean-!"

Well, that just proved there were no gods. Gokudera stepped as hard as he could on the idiot's foot, who actually had the nerve to look offended but that action was enough to spark a fire in the other two guys. The one with the scar grinned, teeth glinting brightly against the sun.

"Thought I wouldn't recognize you, smoking hurricane? You threw your lot to Vongola, didn't you?"

"Just tell us where he is and you probably won't be maimed much" His companion fixed his glasses in a bored manner, making Gokudera's blood boil.

"For the last time, get lost you bastards!"

"Wrong answer!"

Gokudera pushed a startled Yamamoto away as sharp slim objects rained on them. Cursing at feeling multiple pinches on his body, he acted as fast as he could, letting his dynamites create the perfect smoke bomb to grab the confused baseball idiot and ran for cover in an alley.

"What-

"Listen, you little shit, they are after Juudaime. Either you fight them or get lost! I'm not going to protect you" Gokudera spat with a grimace as he removed the needles sticking from his skin. They burned, having Bianchi as a sister helped him develop a poisoning immune system, but that wasn't enough guarantee to protect him for whatever they were infused with; if they were even laced with something. But whatever they caused, he could already feel sweat forming on his neck.

"They want to hurt Tsuna?" Yamamoto whispered, eyes travelling from Gokudera's battered body to the needles lying on the ground.

A sudden movement caught their attention. Gokudera was already lighting a dynamite with a snarl marring his face. He didn't even look back at Yamamoto, body tensing in anticipation.

"Idiot, just go!"

Yamamoto felt it so clearly like cold water running down his back, the sudden spike of danger and death and the sudden shadow behind his back. His joints throbbed as his legs flexed, but despite acting on instinct, his body was too slow to respond.

"Gotcha ya!" Sharp claws dug into his shoulders, making him release a yell of surprise and pain. He grabbed the guy holding on to him and used his momentum to throw him off his body. And it hurt, his shoulders felt like knives had been impaled into his skin. His already healed injury ached in a ghost pain, and for a moment he feared it would break again. But there was another question running on his mind.

"What is wrong with your teeth?" he asked in confusion as his attacker, who was crouching down in front of him and baring sharp canines at him.

His hand shot to his back where the wooden sword was resting. Sword? Oh! The sword! With sport-like reflexes, he swung the wooden blade, making metal clash into claws and saving his face from being slashed into slices. And how was it possible for wood to turn into metal? Another magic trick thanks to that Reborn guy. Things just kept getting funnier with these guys, it made him want to stick around even more.

He felt more than heard the bombings behind his back as Gokudera held his own against the other guy, so he gave all his focus to the one in front of him.

He looked and moved just like a wild animal, like a home-run ball he needed to catch otherwise his team would lose. And he couldn't afford that. Swinging and dodging, he tried his best to keep the other at arm's length, his strategy for the moment was to entertain and make the other tired while he thought of a better plan.

He never saw fit to learn self-defence, his mind always focused on baseball and sushi as he grew up. He never faced bullies or danger in his hometown, so the possibility of wasting time in learning how to fight against another person was stupid.

Not even when his father owned a dojo and taking kendo lessons could make him improve his baseball skills. It never occurred to him to ask his father for advice, but the last time he asked if he could show him some neat kendo tricks to show his friends at baseball camp he was grimly refused. Perhaps it was the first time he denied him something, and it felt weird so he never pressed for it again.

But he could never forget the heavy stare his father gave him when he asked. It weighed him, even now.

So learning tricks didn't matter then, and it still didn't matter now, but…

One thing was knowing how to defend himself, the other was to actually do it.

His body was tired from today's training session and he really didn't want to put more strain into his shoulder. He also didn't want to accidentally chop the other, who did that? No matter if the wild guy wanted nothing more than to see him bleed if the claws and teeth were any indication, it just wasn't an excuse to maim him in return.

And so, here they were. Monkey claws close to his face and a sharp blade pressed closely to the other’s neck. Was the beast boy even afraid of that?

Placing all his body weight into his left foot, he quickly brought his right leg up to kick the other in the stomach. The boy clearly saw through his attack and moved out of the way, but it gave him the chance to put some distance and catch some air. With sweaty hands, his grip in the blade tightened.

"You are good. But not that good" Said the other guy, licking his lips and body hunching in anticipation. With a cool mind he only possessed in the most critical moments of a game, he breathed out and relaxed his shoulders, bringing his sword up ready to attack. It would have been perfect, if his mind wasn't so easily sidetracked.

"Fuck!"

"Gokudera!" He froze mid-step, half turning to see behind him at the source of the problem. All it took was a moment of hesitation for everything to crumble.

"Tsuna, was it?"

His bit his tongue so hard he almost tasted blood, but his wide eyes and tensed shoulders gave everything away. How was it possible for him to even hear that?

"Thank you for your cooperation"

Now he really wanted to wipe that smirk from the monkey's face. He turned quickly, slashing air as the other sidestepped his attack. The sudden drive to stop the other increased his stamina and resolution to keep moving.

He could take a hit, he could even take his entire baseball team blaming him for losing a game but he couldn't risk losing her. Losing them. Not them.

With sloppy movements, he dodged and attacked the other. His stiff body was doing his best to follow the other's speed, but it was his hawk-like eyes already used to stare at a small white ball in the air that watched with precision the other's movements and could escape the deadly claws from cutting his skin. He only received little nickels here and there, but they still sting.

He would like to think he was doing pretty good, especially when he managed to cut some strands of hair from the other boy. That only made the monkey guy mad by the way he hissed and bared his teeth though. Well, payback felt wonderful. It's a shame it lasted too little.

One moment he was close to gaining an advantage, the next; dust filled his nose as his face met the cement from below.

"Idiot" Gokudera murmured next to him, having been thrown into the ground too by his opponent.

"What shall we do with them, kaki-pi? You think taking their fingers will do?" The monkey guy sneered at them.

"They are allied to Vongola"  The guy with the barcode tattoo on his face said, fixing his glasses up his nose. He looked ruffled, obviously thanks to Gokudera's fireworks. And wasn't that also great satisfaction.

"Take them to Mukuro-sama, they will be the perfect bait"

Yamamoto was supposed to be the one with the better stamina, but it was Gokudera who stood up first. With speed he hadn't before, the Italian bomber waited one second until the gust of wind blew behind them to throw 6 dynamites towards their attackers.

It was flashy and hot and Yamamoto watched with wide eyes, lips wanting to curl up in a grin at the little espectale. The glasses guy was down, and Gokudera was standing in front of him in a not-so-protective stance. Of course, that only pissed the monkey guy as he snarled and rushed towards the silver-haired with an animalistic yell.

It was obvious he had experience in hand-to-hand combat, by how quickly he matched the other movements. But it was also evident his body was exhausted and with needles still poking in his skin, it was going to be a hard task to win alone. Gritting his teeth to push his body to stand up, he held his sword up and rushed.

He almost laughed at Gokudera's annoyed expression for his interfering and took great satisfaction at hearing their opponent curse. Was it fair to fight two against one? He actually didn't care. And for a moment, Yamamoto enjoyed the small seconds of teamwork they created. He thought they had a chance.

But no, they were easily overpowered.

With one strong kick in the stomach, he was back on the ground, back to step one where he could do nothing but watch. Gokudera held his own for a couple of minutes, with his bombs creating enough distance to catch his breath and rest for a moment, but it all soon ended with the monkey guy pinning his body to the wall, with his deadly claws wrapped tightly around his neck.

"Don't…" Yamamoto reached out, begging his body to stand up one last time, but it was impossible. He had reached his limit, he didn't even know he had a limit. You would think breaking his arm for overworking it would do the trick, but he had so much to learn, there was still so much he needed to learn.

He heard Gokudera curse over the taunting and threats of the other guy, saw him light one fire-stick and held it on his hand; as in, he wasn't letting go. Was he suicidal?

"Gokudera…" He called, elbows scrapping on the ground as he tried to push himself up. His legs felt like jelly and his body heavy, and just as his shoulders tensed from the strain it caused on his muscles, a black blur dashed over him, metal glinting against the light as a powerful aura hovered the air with a chilling intent. It made his body tremble.

But he didn't fear it, on the contrary.

It made him rasp a laugh.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna didn't want kids. Her plans for the future consisted of rotting away in a humble cottage with a cat and some birds. Maybe even a sheep. But no kids.

Perhaps it was because she was an only child and enjoyed the quiet life. Growing up alone, she never asked for a little brother, and it wasn't like it was possible. Nana got sick after giving birth to her and the surgery prevented her from getting pregnant again. But her mother never asked for more, so because she didn't, Tsuna didn't.

But now, not only one but three kids living with them brought so much joy to Nana, Tsuna didn't have it in her heart to kick them out. She still didn't want kids but as adopted brothers and a sister? It was okay… Maybe? Not really.

For one, she didn't know how to be a big sister. She hated it when Lambo cried, yelled at them when they grabbed her things without asking and huffed as she dragged them out of her room. The constant paranoia of I-pin suddenly exploding and Lambo lighting some grenades made her want to pull her hair, and she couldn't even look at Fuuta in the eyes without feeling guilty, and it's only been 30 minutes since he took residence in her home.

At least they got along. Well, Lambo still thought Fuuta was his lackey and I-pin was too shy to talk to the new kid, but they haven't fought or destroyed something, so nothing else mattered. And if Nana was happy, then Tsuna was going to be damn well happy for her.

"I see you gained another child, good for you"

"Shut up" She didn't move from her spot on the couch, too lazy and comfortable to glare at the baby hitman that took a seat on her back. Currently, the kids were watching some cartoons and drawing with the crayons that Lambo stole from her bag, while her mother started cooking dinner and Bianchi was enjoying a bath.

"What do you know about him?" She asked the hitman, although there wasn't much information that she needed.

"Fuuta de la Stella, he is considered the ranking prince among the Mafia. He can answer anything using a ranking system"

"I gathered as much, the kid practically stalked me to the point he trusts me to be his big sister"

"And isn't that beautiful?" And how she hated that squeaky mocking voice.

"Rokudo Mukuro is after him" She said quietly, shifting her body to a sitting position and making Reborn jump to land at her side.

"And you offered him sanctuary. Maybe you aren't as lost as I thought"

She bit her tongue to hold back a retort. If only he knew… but no, she promised herself, and Kyoya, and the kid's innocence that she wouldn't use him for this. So Tsuna begged her silent gods in the skies as she stood up and approached her mother in the kitchen.

"Smells good, mom"

"Thanks, dear. I want to give Fuuta-kun a welcoming feast. He and Lambo are from Italy, so I was thinking maybe some pasta?"

"Oh! You should take Reborn with you to the market. He will definitely choose the best Italian brands!"

"That's a good idea"

Nana smiled brightly and Tsuna clapped her hands in return. She had to bite her lip as Nana walked towards the living room and asked Reborn to tag along for some spontaneous shopping. The baby might be a hitman, but he was a gentleman who couldn't refuse a mother.

And as Nana talked excitedly about the Italian cuisine recipes she remembered from their short stay in Italy, Reborn caught her eyes and simply gave her the  _ -don't you dare leave the house or else- _ gaze of doom and walked away. Tsuna wanted to laugh in hysterics and was tempted to run to the library and use the old computers they had. But she had self-preservation, which is why she recurred to plan B.

"Bianchi, I need a favour"

"Do you want me to teach you how to seduce and kill?"

"No" She blurted, making Bianchi stop drying her hair with a towel and frown in disappointment.

"Not yet, I guess? I need to write an essay for tomorrow's history class, which I'm failing because of Reborn's training. But I can't leave the house or use my laptop, so can you please lend me yours?"

The Italian raised an eyebrow at the odd request but shrugged her shoulders and went to get it. Tsuna made a victory motion with her hand before walking quickly towards her room. She searched inside her school bag for a notebook and her pencil-case. Once she had them in hand, she walked back downstairs, where Bianchi had installed herself in the kitchen table with her laptop and some nail polish bottles.

"Here you go"

"Thank you so much! I promise I won't take long" She took a seat in front of her and opened the personal computer.

"Take your time dear" Bianchi dismissed her as she started to work on her nails.

Tsuna waited for a beat as the screen loaded before opening her notebook in a new page, followed by her pencil case, where she took a small red squared object and plugged it on the computer.

"So…" She started as she waited for the usb to load "When did you meet  _ The Reborn _ ?"

"Oh~ has it been that long? The memories, Tsuna. The dances and the champagne" Bianchi blushed with a happy smile, hand fawning at her face due to the memories and to make the nail polish dry.

"A mafia gala?"

"They have fancy dinners to show and entertain. It's a monopoly game in most of the cases, where the dons show off their power. Reborn has always been the guest of honour at such events"

"Really?" Tsuna raised an eyebrow, although it really didn't surprise her, with him owning the title of the strongest hitman in the world "He must be one of the greatest pieces in the game. How old is he, by the way?"

"Hmm…I don't know. I like men to be handsome and mysterious"

"So this isn't his real age?"

Bianchi looked at her, and Tsuna cursed her luck. She wasn't scared that the Italian woman would tattle her on Reborn for being curious, but she knew she wouldn't get anything from her either "There are things inside the Mafia that are still a mystery, Tsuna. And you should know when not to question them"

"I'm just curious" She sighed, fixing her eyes on the computer as a blank window opened on the screen "The number one hitman…in the body of a baby. I used to be his fan, you know. How can I not be curious?"

"You knew about the Mafia in your stay in Italy"

"I did" She confessed and when no replay came, she looked up to Bianchi who was busy painting her other hand "You are not going to question?"

"I know where not to pry" Was her simple answer and Tsuna smiled.

Turning her eyes back at the computer, she started to write a code that she knew by heart over the blank window that appeared. It disappeared as soon as it was completed, giving no alerts of it being wrong or right. But one second later, a small pixel rabbit appeared on the screen, waving at her.

She hid her smile; it still amused her to no end how this worked. A bubble speech appeared over the rabbit, and words started to form inside it. She didn't know how long her mother would take, so she needed to be quick.

**Welcome, snow27. Please choose your purpose, are you here for fun or business?**

She never understood what could be the fun part of this, so she never clicked that option. Besides, it was safer to stick with the familiar procedure.

**You selected business. Please choose from the following list.**

**Are you in danger // Want to cause danger // Looking for danger**

Definitely number one.

**On a scale of 1 to 10, how risky is your research?**

Top secret, so that would be a 10.

**Processing….Processing…Processing**

The pixel rabbit moved one of his feet up and down as the processing icon was loading. Several black pixels appeared all over the screen, but Tsuna had long been used to them to know what it meant.

**You are ready to proceed. Please write what you are looking for.**

Game on.

She typed as fast as she could.

_ Rokudo Mukuro _

Newspapers and articles and some side notes appeared on screen, one after the other at a quick pace. It didn't show pictures of her psychopath, but words kept repeating themselves over and over as Tsuna read and skimmed and searched for answers.

_ Italia _

_ Famiglias annihilated _

_ Convict Murderer _

_ Runaway _

_ Estereno Famiglia _

_ Child trafficking _

_ Human Experiments _

She wanted to puke.

So that was it then, this was nothing more than a revenge ploy against the Mafia that hurt him and she was at the crossfire because of her cursed blood. Releasing a tired sigh, she wrote some notes, simple keywords that could link a story and chain a tragedy.

"I thought you were searching for history class" Tsuna wasn't surprised at hearing Bianchi's voice, having no doubt read what she just wrote down.

"When did you decided you wanted to become a hitwoman?" Tsuna asked, setting aside her pencil to return to the computer, clicking twice on the rabbit as the manual code for closing everything on the screen down.

**Do you want to log out?**

Yes, please.

"You don't decide on the Mafia. It was become or die"

The rabbit waved at her, disappearing into a small pop and erasing every trace of it ever being there.

"I wanted to be a hitwoman too…" She told Bianchi as she pocketed the usb back into her pencil case "Then I wanted to become a rock and disappear. Now I'm to become a Mafia boss against my will and fight guys like him, and for what? My rotten world might just be as rotten as his"

"I wish I could give you the words you want to hear. But I'm sorry. You can't escape a black hole like Vongola that easily" Bianchi frowned, knowing the girl's fate wouldn't be sunshine and rainbows.

"Yeah?" Tsuna stretched her arms until a light cracking sound was heard "Well I can at least try"

"You can" Bianchi agreed and raised an eyebrow when the brunette turned the page of her notebook and started writing long sentences without stopping "What's that?"

"My homework" She responded, head-turning from the computer screen to the paper in front of her from time to time as she kept writing "I wasn't lying, I really needed to do this stupid essay"

Bianchi just laughed.

**.**

**.**

**.**

10 minutes later, Tsuna was sitting in the backyard, enjoying the last afternoon breeze before nightfall when the baby hitman returned. All evidence was hidden and Bianchi's newfound camaraderie put her somewhat at ease. But that didn't mean her guard was down.

"Dame-Tsuna"

"Reborn, welcome back" She was expecting a kick in her back, maybe even a mallet on the head, but the hitman did nothing but sit next to her. "What is it?" She looked at him in confusion.

"Gokudera and Yamamoto were attacked"

"So that just leaves Kyoya and me…" She murmured, turning her gaze downwards.

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Honestly… nothing" She sighed "I'm exhausted, you said not to do anything reckless. Me going out there to face those psychos in the state I am will do no good"

"You won't try to avenge them?"

"Should I?"

"They fought for you"

"They were attacked, if they fought it was for their own lives"

"They are your guardians, a Boss should always take care of his own"

"Why are you trying so hard to create a fighting team?" She asked with a hint of annoyance at the hitman's persistence.

"I told you before, a Sky user can't develop to its full capabilities if it isn't bonded to his 6 elements. That's how nature works, Dame-Tsuna, you can't be an empty Sky" Reborn lectured her with a voice that indicated she was an idiot.

"And if I don't want them to be my guardians?"

"You have no say in the matter. As a Mafia Boss, especially Vongola, you need guardians to protect you and the title"

"But why them?" She wasn't whining, but her expression was turning that of a child who was denied a cookie after dinner for not getting a straight answer.

"Believe it or not, you gathered them on your own. They are stuck with you now"

"Well, I don't want them"

"There is no other option. Thanks to your loner nature and dameness" is that even a word? Tsuna cried in her mind "These people are the best for the job, they are already hooked by you"

"And you approve, I'm sure"

"Why? Do you have other people in mind that qualify the same characteristics of the elements?" He asked her with a hint of mocking in his voice.

"I don't even know what qualities they should be. To me, it just seems as if you choose the people whom I spend most of the time with. That's unfair and unbiased, they don't even know what they are facing"

"Like it or not, it's too late now. The harmonization between you all has already begun. A Sky can't be without its elements or else it will die"

"I have been fine before you showed up and without them, what's so special now?"

"You never lit the Sky flames before, did you?"

She bit her tongue hard from preventing a smart comeback from slipping. Instead, she counted to five before releasing a deep breath that did nothing to calm her nerves. Reborn was gloating his silent victory, she could feel it radiating from him. But she was tired and wasn't in the mood to provoke him, so she crossed her arms and leaned on her knees.

"You are going to make me face this Mukuro guy, aren't you?"

"Yes"

"I'm not strong enough" And how it hurt to admit that.

"But you'll be" She could feel her throat closing at his confidence. He'd put her through hell with little result and yet, he was so sure she would succeed. At least one of them believed.

The confrontation with Mukuro was inevitable, but knowing what she did now… she kinda wanted to meet him too. And the humming in her head whispering in agreement did nothing to soothe her nerves.

"Hey… how do I control the flames?"

Reborn looked at her, perhaps really looked at her for the first time in two months. Here was a girl, her body exhausted from training and her mind haunted by nightmares. There was a murderer after her and yet she hasn't cried. Her friends were beaten and yet she hasn't run to their sides.

She was an oddity, a Sky contradicting its own nature. Refusing bonds yet at the same time, bathing them with light. It was so interesting he wanted to dissect, poke and cut to find an answer.

To light her flames… Reborn couldn't read her, if this resolve was for revenge or something else, he didn't know. But perhaps it was for the better. Because sugarcoating things won't work on her, childish things like the power of love and friendship were out of the question too.

"There is a dangerous method" He told her, lips curling into a smirk as she turned to regard him with curiosity "Want to try it out?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"N-No more, plea-se"

"One minute"

She shut her eyes tightly, shoulders squaring in pain as a blaring heat coursed through her mind all the way down to her core. And it burned so much, she wanted to cry.

"Tsuna"

She breathed out, half releasing a sniff by the intensity of emotions rattling her head. Her mind was at battle, yes and no, right and wrong, fire and cold, breathe and cry, live or die.

"Dame-Tsuna don't fight it. Those flames won't hurt you. You need to embrace them, don't reject them, idiot! It will hurt you more!"

Reborn chided her, but he wasn't sure if she was hearing him or not. He could only stare at the body of the brunette tied to a chair in the attic, shaking. The Sky flame blazing in her forehead and blinking in and out of existence with every breath she took. There were fresh tears gathering in her eyes and strain forming on her arms as her body remained stiff as a rock.

There was no more Dying Will Mode, it just wouldn't come and instead, they -well, she - was stuck in the transicion of the next phase. But the idiot kept rejecting it! It was so maddening he really wanted to hit her with a mallet, but Leon was still out of commission.

She sniffed again, making the flames in her forehead pulse one last time.

"They are yours" He told her, and just like that the spell was broken. The bullet's 5 minutes limit were over and her body slumped down, shuddering as the fire disappeared for good.

"Okay there?"

"…Please don't shoot me again" Her head fell, unable to keep it up. It took her a while to grasp reality, and Reborn merely watched her compose and pick her mind up.

"What are you feeling?"

"Like I'm dying… but it feels good? Why?"

"This is the Dying Will bullet. It's a special creation for flame-rookies that allows you to restart your flame energy. So long as you have a strong Will, the greater the control you will have over them until you can light your flame on your own"

"I don't like them"

"Why not?" He asked her, eyes examining her tired body.

"It makes me think"

"That's your hyper intuition talking"

"My… what?" She blinked and looked at him with confusion.

"It's your Vongola heritage. Passed down from generation through generation. The voice you hear talking sense to you, listen to it. That's your intuition talking" He didn’t want to tell her until he was sure, it was why he shut down Shamal’s inquiry on the matter. But having seen her start to interact with it, it was perhaps better to get her used to it. 

"My voice is telling me to die"

"And the trick is to tell it to back off and let you live"

She choked a breath, eyes widening as if understanding a secret code under his words. But it all went to hell as she doubled over and gagged. For a moment they both thought she was going to puke, but all she did was make a dying noise at the back of her throat.

"I'm okay" She weakly said.

"You're not, idiot. It seems your body has reached its limit, pity"

"Whose fault is that?" She glared at him but he ignored it as he released the binds around her body, watching with calculative eyes as her body fell, crumbling to the ground in exhaustion now that there was nothing holding it back. He was thankful that the ropes were Leon-made, otherwise he didn’t know what else to use to prevent the flames from destroying it in their wake.

"You need to sleep. I will ask Mama to heat you a calming tea that Fon gifted I-Pin. In the meanwhile, go to bed"

"I don't think I can sleep right now" She murmured on the floor.

"I wasn't asking Dame-Tsuna, you are going to drink that tea and shut your eyes or else I will knock you out myself"

She groaned, both at his threat and the movement her body did as she stood up. He waited by the stairs until she was able to walk on her own without stumbling, which was a feat on its own.

"It's sweet how you care" She whispered at his side. Whether she was joking or not, he let her leave as he scolded himself in his mind for what he was about to do.

Reborn was no stranger to the abilities of the flames. Him being an arcobaleno, the Sun arcobaleno; even in his cursed form, could perform a certain degree of healing that could put Shamal and other doctors to shame. He didn't like using it though, because one: there was no one to heal and two: it was personal.

Which is why what he was about to do was not only risky but plain and utterly stupid. It was like being forced to share your lunch with the new kid at the playground, only that this time the teacher was a non-existent annoying pull. Using flames to heal was common, sharing them willingly was another story.

**.**

**.**

**.**

While Reborn was busy with his magical tea, Tsuna took a short shower to wipe all the dirt and sweat from her body. It was impossible to explain what she was feeling at the moment. Her mind was numb, and her body exhausted. People she knew were attacked, and soon she was going to get hurt by the same attackers.

Oddly enough, that didn't send her into a panic attack. It was like a foretelling whisper was telling her that everything was going to turn out fine. But she wasn't ready for it and she was 100% sure Vongola will do nothing to protect her. She was on her own, she thought grimly as she walked towards her room.

She knew skipping dinner in her current state was dangerous, but the mere idea of eating created nausea at the pit of her stomach. She didn't consider herself a lazy person, even though she used to spend most of her free time napping before the hitman arrived at her door. But sleeping acted as a recharging mechanism for her, and if Reborn was making her have a good night rest, who was she to argue?

Changing into comfy pyjamas, Tsuna took a minute to observe her room. Without thinking twice, she pushed the window open before crawling into her bed. It might be odd to somebody else but even knowing that a murderer was after her, she felt safer with the window open.

Reborn came by some minutes later, thrusting a cup of freshly brewed tea into her hands as if the warm object had offended him. She barely managed to grab it without having its contents spill on her bed and turned to look at him with a small scoff.

She wasn't a big fan of herbal teas or coffee, she was more of the fruity smoothies and honey milk type. But this was probably an imported tea-brand and a gift from Fon that she couldn't refuse. Besides, the pinkish liquid with golden sparks had an alluring scent of raspberries that were making the whispers inside her mind sing.

"It's not poisoned, Dame-Tsuna" Reborn told her after the brunette started at the tea for more than two minutes in silence. Releasing a soft sigh, she brought the cup to her lips and took a sip.

"It's warm…" She whispered, eyes sparkling slightly at the flavour before they dropped in a hazy spell as she drank the whole cup in less than 3 gulps.

Reborn found it strange, but nothing ever made sense with the girl so he dismissed it and focused his attention on his loyal companion. Whatever he was cooking in there better be good all the trouble the brunette was giving him. But she will have to earn it though, whatever it was Leon thought she might need.

"What's going to happen now?" Tsuna's soft voice made him turn to look at her. She was already under the covers of her bed, half-lidded eyes looking at him with a bit of glaze in them.

"You will rest until your body can follow your mind, then you will seek Rokudo Mukuro and apprehend him. That's your mission"

"You want me to kill him?"

"Defeat him" Reborn gave her a strange look "The rest, is up to you"

But she didn't answer, instead, she nuzzled her head into the pillow and closed her eyes. And just as her body and mind were being consumed by a pleasant warm drowsiness, Reborn's quiet voice called to her.

"Tsuna"

"Hm?"

"Have you ever seen them?"

"Them?"

"Sky flames"

"Yeah… a long time ago…" She whispered, curling more into herself. Her nose scrunched up and fingers tightened their grip into the blankest for a moment, before she let go with a tiny sigh as she finally fell deep asleep.

**.**

**.**

**.**

There was a certain tension in the air, whether it was here or there, everyone was just waiting for the fire to ignite the detonation that was soon to explode. What a beautiful chaos it would create, and knowing they were going to be the responsible for it just added to the satisfaction or whatever, so long as they get paid HQ could burn to hell for all they cared. It was lucky that their boss was out of commission at the moment, otherwise, he would have enslaved them like the tyrant he is.

Someone sighed inside a messy dark room, filled with papers and bills that towered over themselves and threatened to collapse at any time soon. Was it too late to ask for some paid vacations? Probably yes. The sun was almost up and there was still work to do, but seeing as no one had come yelling through the door for the past few hours meant a little nap wouldn't hurt, that is until a computer started beeping like crazy.

Making a noise of annoyance at having the little moment of peace interrupted, the figure perked over the screen while cursing the misfortune of having their rest interrupted, but just one look at its contents made a smirk wipe all bad thoughts.

"Ara… the brat is alive. And she still sucks at this" The figure said with mocking fondness, as it made sure to close all the virus windows and malware tracking notifications that kept popping open. 

The action was so fast, one needed to have experience in closing all the windows without setting an alarm off. After 6 years of silence, she almost got her location divulged to three countries and 12 Mafia famiglias. And for what? Rokudo Mukuro? In what trouble did she get herself into this time?

"Better tell the other brat, this will cost him a fortune"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it~   
> To be continued... 
> 
> Little heads up. Tsuna will start to act a bit OOC and contradicting herself starting from this chapter, but there is a reason for that, trust me. Things will get heat up soon.
> 
> See you guys next time! Lots of love! 😘


	11. Lie to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people, how are you doing?  
> Hope you enjoy the new chapter! 
> 
> Sorry in advance for the #Angst

**.**

**.**

**.**

Breaking bonds with the underworld wasn't easy.

Only a few could escape with their lives in one piece and even those lucky ones suffered from the backlash that is the black hole called Mafia.

Yamamoto Tsuyoshi paid the price with the life of his wife.

They say love could be a dangerous double-edged weapon if wielded correctly. Yes; Tsuyoshi threatened, fought and made his last kill to take a plane to Japan to settle down in a humble town with the love of his life.

He knew the risks of marrying a civilian, abandoning his work as a hitman and breaking connections with powerful famiglias. But what could a man do? Love is love. It makes you do irrational things.

It's still day that a warm feeling bubbled in his chest at just remembering how they met. It was a summer afternoon in the streets of Tokyo, his contact having arranged a hit for some yakuza lord. He was stalking his prey on the busy streets when he bumped into a lovely woman carrying some flowers.

With fine reflexes, he caught her before she fell. And as his arms wrapped around her, their eyes met just like in a cheesy romantic movie. But then she hit him in the face with said flowers, thinking he was a pervert and proceeded to yell at him until he reassured her it was all a mistake. And just like that, he was sold. A few months later of courting and dating they got married in a small ceremony completely in love.

The years blessed them with their first and only child, and Tsuyoshi couldn't be happier. On a sunny day, both he and his beloved prepared a sushi feast for their son's first baseball tournament.

It was meant to be a family outgoing, but it ended with a rain of tears and blood.

He was tracked and backstabbed. One of his olds contacts found out his location and demanded his assistance for a job, some kind of drug trafficking going south. And when he refused; and stupidly enough didn't think of going into hiding because what could happen in a peaceful town as Namimori? Hitmen were sent to his home and stained the peaceful days of his new life.

It was messy but calculated. While his wife finished cooking, Tsuyoshi walked his son to school where the team was to take a bus that would drive them to the game location. His kid was jumping in excitement the whole way, swinging his arms to show his dad his powerful attack that would surely get a home run and proudly declaring that he would dedicate his first score to his mother.

Tsuyoshi couldn't help but feel proud. He wished him luck and watched him get inside the bus, promising to be there at the baseball field with tons of sushi to celebrate. He walked back home, not really rushing on hurrying back and that was his second mistake.

His hitman senses never left him, it was hard to let go of the paranoia of always looking through his peripheral vision to check his surroundings. So when he was by the front door, and the quietness from the house and iron smell hit his nose, his heart stopped.

Rushing and yelling, he went inside calling for his wife. Only to freeze at the living room door, staring in horror and disbelief at the gory painting in front of him. Blood covered the walls and floors, and there on the floor was an unmoving figure with flower petals all around her from the shattering vase that fell next to her.

Outside started raining, a storm that covered his grief and pain and horror and released them all in a broken scream.

He swore he would never take a sword in his hands, but at that moment, promises be damned. He hunted the bastards down, only managing to kill two after catching them and torturing them for information, but even still, the one who delivered the killing blow got away with a piece of his heart.

By the time he returned home; after covering his tracks and washing his bloody hands, policemen and paramedics were there to greet him. The neighbours had called them as soon as they heard the commotion and he watched with a grave heart as a white stretcher was rolled out of his house.

The chief questioned him, but the tears in his face and anguish in his voice were real enough to prove his innocence, they were real and painful that they had the police department agreeing on keeping the situation under wraps for he didn't want his son to find out from anyone else but him.

And so, as the ambulance drove away, and the police and the forensic team searched the house for evidence, one six-year-old Yamamoto Takeshi waited and waited in the baseball field for his parents to show up on that rainy day. But they never came.

His son never found out. Tsuyoshi made sure to cover all the evidence and when Takeshi questioned him with a weak voice where his mother was after being picked up by his quiet father in the muddy baseball field and brought him to a hospital, his heart broke as he told him that his mother was in an accident and that she wouldn't come back.

He cried. Of course he cried. His little mind and heart not quite grasping the situation, not believing that his mother was forever gone. He became a shell of his younger self, and as the days went by he could see the cracks starting to form.

They moved to another house, Tsuyoshi saying that his mother was planning on opening a sushi shop and that this will honour her wishes, as well as to start anew. Tsuyoshi was certain his son would give baseball up, that it would be a painful reminder of that rainy day. But he didn't. Instead, he became obsessed with it, always training and wanting to be better. Winning game after game and becoming the ace of the team.

Life moved on. The sushi shop prospered and his son loved helping around whenever he was home. But the pain was still there, that empty space haunted them both. His grief was always there, and the guilt that ate his heart daily hid other thoughts, so Tsuyoshi didn't know when the bright smiles of his son became hollow and forced. Only that one day, they were there and the crack that had formed was at its breaking point.

He didn't force his kid into therapy. He always made sure to tell him every night that he was there for him if he wanted to talk. And at first, he did. Telling him that he missed his mom and wanted her back, that it hurt not having her there with them. But with time, those 'I miss her' became 'I'm fine's' and empty 'Ha, ha's'.

Then one day, his son broke his arm. The baseball coach notified him and he rushed to the hospital to pick him up. The ride home was silent and his son's blank stare will forever haunt him. It was like his will of living was gone all over again. Tsuyoshi was scared to let him go to school the next day. Something inside of him dreaded it, like a bad omen.

All day he was on edge, but by the time school was over, it was like a miracle had graced them. His son returned home lighter and happier than ever. His smile was more real and filled with meaning that it was the day before.

So Tsuyoshi didn't ask, didn't demand for information. He basked in his son’s newfound happiness and let him talk for hours until it was closing time about nothings and everythings. He thought this could be the start of a new phase in their lives, the chance to move on.

Of course, that all went out the window when his son asked that one question that was meant to break their peaceful days all over again.

"Hey, dad? Can you teach me how to use the sword?"

He had to be truthful, his heart almost stopped. He paused his movements, the table he was cleaning all but forgotten as he processed the heaviness of what his son just asked.

"You never showed interest before. Why now?" He asked with what he hoped was light disinterest and curiosity.

"My friends are pretty cool! Gokudera has these fire trinkets and even Tsuna has pretty fire moves! I don't want to be left out"

"So, just for fun?" He muttered.

"Well, yeah. Using a sword would be pretty cool! Don't you think?"

"A sword is meant for justice. You not only fight for your rights, but also for the rights of others." He told his son, shoulders tensing as he quickly put everything away to escape the situation "If you are not serious about it, don't ask me again until you have found your resolve"

His son started in confusion, but Tsuyoshi let it go. He might be a mourning retired hitman, but he was not stupid.

He knew of Iemitsu Sawada.

He had worked with him on rare occasions, fought with and against him on multiple others. They were not friends, but they weren't enemies either. They saved each other back several years back so a wall of trust was built, a wall that neither was willing to cross. If he had to be honest, he hated the man. The lion of Vongola.

He thought Namimori was a fresh start when he settled. But it seemed he wasn't the only one who thought that way. It was a pure coincidence when he met the man's wife and his little daughter on Parents Day at Namimori Elementary School.

At first, he didn't notice them. Who would? Just a common housewife with her 8-year-old girl.

But then the girl introduced herself in stutterers in front of the class, and despite her quiet voice his ears managed to catch her surname, Sawada. And looking at the tiny child better, he could see a faint trace of exotic features on her. Her eyes were a bit bigger than normal and held a goldish colour in them for the classic brown, her nose although button shape was a bit sharper and her hair a bit brighter for the common Asian brunette.

She was the split image of her mother, with milky skin and flat messy hair. But the more Tsuyoshi looked the more foreign traits he saw. Of course, staring intently at a child was a bit creepy, so he turned to stare at the window, listening to her talk about returning from living abroad, from Italy of all places.

She didn't say much about her dad, only stating that he worked overseas and instead, introduced her mother with devoted adoration.

On their way home, he asked his son about his classmates. He really didn't want to be a creep but the murder of his wife from two years ago made him a bit overprotective. His son talked about his friends, about their excitement whenever he managed to hit a home run and how some didn't like math class either.

He also told him that he tried to befriend the new girl who lived abroad, but the girl apparently didn't want to make friends for one reason or the other. And that was okay. He didn't discourage his son nor told him to try harder next time. And that was that.

He kept an eye on them because trouble was trouble no matter what. But the years passed, and not once was that peaceful life broken. Both Sawada's wife and daughter lived a normal life in Namimori, even after coming back from living in Italy for two years, the quiet remained. Iemitsu never stepped foot in Japan, hitmen never roamed the streets. It made him wonder how that was possible.

There was a tiny spark of jealousy and resentment, it was an ugly feeling that he stomped over and over. Sawada Nana was a wonderful woman, and he didn't wish harm to fall over her household. 

But still...

He let that precaution go little by little, he kept living quietly and peacefully with his son at their sushi restaurant. Everything was fine, until his normal days were disturbed and the world he tried so hard to keep away from his household came knocking at his door. Because when the greatest hitman Reborn came into his home, sitting on the shoulder of one Sawada Tsunayuuki walking next to the bastard son of a Mafiosi and his son, he knew those peaceful days were over.

It was inevitable. He saw his son interact with his two new friends, and although they were nothing more than danger and trouble, they were the reason his son was coming out from his shell and being happy again. But he also saw the invisible pull happening. His son was starting to form a bond with a Sky. And that was something he had no say or control over, not even as his father.

And so he waited for his son to ask again, to pull himself together and find a worthy resolve. He waited and waited until he came home one afternoon with a battered face and serious expression.

"Go to the dojo"

**.**

**.**

**.**

The smell of rotten iron against magnolias woke her up.

It was such a peculiar smell that reminded her of Italian summer nights. Back when things were simple and a sense of security wrapped around her like a comfortable blanket.

"Mom?"

Drowsily, she leaned against the fingers running through her hair, gently pulling her out from dreamland. Dream? That's right, she was dreaming about something… something important.

"I had a weird dream... there was this boy, I think I made him cry…"

There was no response, but the fingers never once ceased their movements, making Tsuna sigh and dwelled into the line of sleepiness and waking. Her mind felt like soft cotton and her body like it was floating in water, all numbness and strain gone from her muscles.

For the first time in days, her head was quiet. It made her forget all the trouble and anxiety she felt the day before. It made her forget the danger she was in and the casualties that were to come. She wished to stay in that moment forever, where a warm cocoon protected her from the world.

But just like all good things must come to an end, the fingers stopped.

"Mom?"

She blinked her eyes open, the golden light from the window casting a warm shadow inside her room. Everything looked too peaceful and bright, just like a painting.

"Tsuna"

She turned to see the hitman staring at her with unblinking eyes from his perch in his hammock.

"Reborn… Good morning"

"Are you okay?"

"Perfect" She blinked as if waking for the first time "I… I feel wonderful, thank you"

"Get dressed, you'd be late for school"

"Okay"

With newfound energy, she stretched and walked around her room collecting her clothes for a morning shower. All the while not being aware of the incredulous stare she was receiving from the hitman. When the brunette walked out of her room, the baby turned to see his glowing pet, who blinked back at him as if returning his confusion.

Things didn't end there, fresh out of the shower, the brunette was practically floating as she descended the stairs, not once stumbling as she busied herself with her hair.

"Good morning everyone" She greeted the kids who were eating cereal and toasts at the table and her mother, who was filling 4 glasses with orange juice.

"Good morning!"

"Dame-Tsuna, the lackey is stealing the marshmallows!"

"Share, we share!" I-pin said, trying to calm down Lambo as Fuuta added said marshmallows into his soggy cereal.

"You woke up in a good mood" Nana said cheerfully.

"I feel good" Confessed the brunette, taking one glass for herself.

"I'm glad, dear. You were kind of gloomy the past days"

Tsuna hummed a little, not wanting to dive into negative thoughts. The kids cheered and thanked her mother for the orange juice, and she felt Reborn entering the kitchen before her mother offered him some breakfast. Lambo started screaming at the hitman for stealing his marshmallows too, who in return ignored him.

It was a good morning for everyone until a shattering sound was heard and everyone turned to see a dumbfounded Tsuna staring at her now empty hand.

"Ara, Tsu-chan, do we have to buy plastic cups again? That hasn't happened in a long while"

"Yeah… I mean, no. I-It's fine. I'm sorry" She quickly grabbed some kitchen towels and knelt down to clean the mess, ignoring Lambo's snickering.

"It's alright. Did you hurt yourself?" Nana knelt down in front of her and waited for Tsuna to shake her head. After affirming that there was no injury, her mother smiled and started picking up the broken pieces with caution. "Well, that's good. Wash your hands and have some breakfast before leaving. I'm sure Gokudera-kun will arrive soon"

"He's already here"

The doorbell rang and Tsuna didn't have to open the door to know who it was. Because what were the odds?

Quickly washing her hands and grabbing a piece of toast - not before stealing some of those cereal marshmallows for herself and hearing Lambo cry in unfairness- she opened the door to reveal the Italian bomber porting a ruffled appearance.

"Good morning, Juudaime"

"Morning"

She didn't ask for his injuries nor did he tell her about the attack.

They walked to school in silence, the presence of the baby hitman looming at their backs did little to soothe the growing tension. It was like the furthest she walked from home, the impending doom of the situation was catching up to her. And any wonderful feeling she had when waking up disappeared.

As they neared the school gates, they managed to hear a commotion rising. Gokudera immediately stepped in front of her, fingers twitching to his pocket where he tucked his dynamite. But there was no danger, her first clue being there were no disciplinary committee's personnel guarding the entrance.

Gokudera was new to Namimori, so he didn't think it was strange. Tsuna, however, did. And she was already dreading the answer.

"What's going on?" She asked a random student.

"Hibari didn't come to school!" was the scandalous response.

She tried to keep a straight face, but her nose wrinkled in its own accord. Gokudera at her side looked a bit guilty and mad, teeth biting his lip as he was most likely remembering something.

He quickly told her to go on before him as he rushed inside, searching for someone. Tsuna watched him go in silence, putting two and two together as she walked towards the rows of lockers and removed her orange sneakers.

She opened up her locker and stared.

Her indoor shoes were soggy, they kind of reminded her of Fuuta's cereal from this morning. She stared at them for a moment, face not changing or revealing anything before closing the door gently and walking barefoot inside the school.

At least there was no one to scold her, she thought with bitter amusement as she walked towards the committee office, where she stored a replacement for her shoes and uniform just in case.

Opening the door, she looked around the empty office.

"Idiot" she murmured with a frown.

Stepping inside, she went to the corner where a closet held some belongings and proceeded to put her spare indoor shoes. Once they were in a good fit, she walked towards the desk where a forgotten tea was on top of sprawled papers.

She cleaned as best as she could and organized the paperwork before leaving. But just as she was about to walk away something grabbed her attention like an annoying mosquito flying near her ear. There, under the table was a little note with the scribbles that read Kokuyo Land.

She released a shuddered breath at having a final destination to all this mess.  **_Danger_ ** was a red word running in her head, thinking of Hibari in Kokuyo, thinking of her in Kokuyo. Every thought led to danger.

What she was going to do about it remained a mystery. Instead, she crushed the paper into a ball and threw it into the trash.

Entering her classroom, she could already note a presence missing. The Italian was waiting for her by the window near her seat, arms crossed and a troublesome expression on his face.

"The baseball idiot isn't here" Gokudera informed her as soon as she approached her desk.

"Is that so…"

"Juudaime?" He questioned her, waiting for orders. That thought made her sick.

"Let's just... Let’s focus on school for now" She rubbed her face tiredly.

Gokudera wanted to say something, but before he could manage his courage, Nezu-sensei walked in shouting at everyone to take their seats.

"Alright, empty your desk. Only pencil and eraser for the test"

"Wait, what? A math test?!" She couldn't help but shout in incredulity because what the hell? She wasn't aware of this! Reborn would have drilled her with equations and numbers if a test was in schedule for today.

"Ha, Dame-Tsuna it's going to fail again" The classroom snickered.

"Shut up, Sawada. You're disturbing my class!" Nezu scolded her, but Tsuna ignored everything around her, trying hard to make the stinging in her eyes disappear by blinking. It wasn't fair! She was going to fail this thing, worry her mother more and make Reborn punish her.

She grabbed the sheet of paper with shaky hands when it reached her desk and ignored Kyoko's and Hana's worried faces. Class started 9 minutes ago, and she had been staring blankly at the test ever since. It was a multiple answer type, but even that did nothing to soothe her fear.

Well, at least she had a small percentage of getting something right, she thought as she grabbed her pencil to at least appear to be answering something instead of just blankly staring.

And just as her pencil was about to circle the first random answer, a small pricking sensation of discomfort in her head made her stop for a moment. She rubbed her forehead slightly before focusing back on the test. But as she circled the letter A, the pricking continued. It wasn't until question five that her head stopped throbbing after choosing letter B.

She paused, because what the hell? Frowning, she erased her answer and circled A, but this time there was a tingle in her fingers, as if itching her hand to move and redo her previous action.

She stared in ridiculousness at the paper. 

Looking up at the clock, there were only 20 minutes left to answer the test. She bit her lip and shakily erased all her previous answers. Staring intently at them, she grabbed her pencil and let it hover over the answers. Slowly, she moved the point slowly over them, following the pricking and tingly sensation it brought her as she did.

She couldn't understand what was happening. She must be going mad to try such a childish method. Her mind was desperate and paranoid, but there was something; a whisper, assuring her of things she didn’t understand and yet at the same time did. It was strange and comforting, and as the clock kept ticking, she let the bizarre sensation in her head lead her hand to answer the test thinking that maybe she was just imagining things.

But no, this was something more than the usual 'when in doubt, choose option C' because when she finished with relaxed shoulders and stared at the complete test that screamed PERFECTION in her head, it made her almost burst into hysterical tears. 

Because somehow, she knew it would be a perfect score.

"Alright, times up! Hand over the papers!"

Never had 30 minutes passed so fast in her life, and she had to wait 20 more in her seat until class was over with anxiety creeping on her chest. They were to remain in silence as Nezu graded their test, it was annoying how he exclaimed their points out loud for everyone to hear. Gokudera and Hana got a top score, others weren't so lucky.

And then it was her turn. Nezu's face contorted into mocking then disbelief and into anger so quickly Tsuna was almost worried it would paralyze his face.

"Sawada! You useless girl! I knew you were trouble the moment you walked into my class! You are in serious trouble this time! To the Director office!"

"Whoa, she is done for" Someone whispered.

"Juudaime" Gokudera raised up when she picked up her things, but she merely shook her head at him, walking with her head up to prevent the water inside her eyes from rolling down.

Nezu was growling and mocking her through all the way, sometimes pushing her to walk faster when her feet dragged but she ignored him. They neared the director's office and Nezu banged the door open, startling the poor man inside from enjoying a cup of tea.

"Nezu-sensei, the first period hasn't ended! What seemed to be the problem?"

"This is the problem" Nezu dragged Tsuna inside and waved her math test in front of the director who took it gently.

"Perfect score" He said, not seeing the problem. His eyes settled on the distraught brunette who was avoiding his eyes and the fuming teacher.

"Exactly! She didn't even study! She hasn't even gotten a grade above 20 in a math exam before! What do you call that!?"

"I didn't cheat" Tsuna whispered.

"Miss Sawada. The teacher is making a grave accusation"

"I didn't know there was an exam today"

"All the more reason for you to cheat!"

"I didn't cheat!" She exclaimed.

"Nezu-sensei, are you certain of your accusations?" The director's question made the teacher's face glow red.

"Of course I am!"

"You can test me again" Tsuna suddenly said without thinking, making both adults stare at her "Make a new exam, new questions, you can make it yourself. Will that solve this problem?"

Her mouth was speaking before words formed in her mind. She was going to get a perfect score. And why? Why did she know that? How was she so sure?

"You dare-

"That's a good idea, Miss Sawada. Nezu-sensei and I will make a test for you" The director said, stopping the teacher from exploding in anger.

Bless this man, Tsuna thought with a spark of amusement. Because if he could handle and let Hibari Kyoya rule over the school, Nezu was merely like a stone in his shoe.

27 minutes later, Tsuna walked out of the office, with blank eyes and fingers shaking.

Nezu's screams could be heard from the room she exit, clearly fuming and enraged by another perfect score. But to be fair, Nezu's questions were even harder than the material they were viewing yet Tsuna still aced it under the hawkeye stares of them both. She wasn't sure she would pass an open answer test though, so she quickly paced away from the office in case they tried to question her again.

"Hey, Sawada! I heard the stunt you pulled on math class!"

Her shoulders flinched before a hand fell on them. Her eyes moved to stare at the third-year student, he was one of the guys who hung around with Moichida.

"Say, are you skipping classes? I need help with some stuff, we are creating a new club, you see"

"You are lying…" She stared at him with wide eyes, making him pause and for his smile to fall a little at the intense stare.

"What? Come on. It's going to be fun!"

"You are lying…" It was maddening. Tsuna quickly stepped away from him and his invisible sick intentions and walked towards the stairs. Classes be damned, there was no way she could focus at all.

Shutting the door of the rooftop was meant to build a wall that separated her from reality, but it did the total opposite. She felt more isolated and trapped than ever, alone with her own thoughts.

She didn't know what was happening. First, there were the dreams, then the voices and now her lucky power system. She couldn't put a name to it, couldn't quite grasp just what the hell happened with those exams, how she was so sure of the correct answers. Was Fuuta's power contagious? She had to wonder.

But no, Reborn has been saying all this time to follow a feeling. A feeling that guided her out of the woods and led her to meet a little boy seeking refuge from the convict who was after her.

But what was it? This miracle power, and how did she turn it off? How did she even gain it to begin with? Not like it wasn't handy, because that crazy stunt she did with the math test could surely help her raise her grades.

Reborn will surely prohibit it. And her eyes stung with bitter tears because even if it was childish to blame him, everything that had happened so far was all because of that hitman baby. Lonely afternoons were now spent in the company of people. Her house was not quiet anymore, there was laughter and joy and screams, but most of all there was a warmth that wasn't there before.

But just as the sunrise brought new things, when the sun sets and hides in the horizon, it reveals all that's underneath. The anxiety is still there. Sleepless nights filled with unfinished drawings and staring at the cracked ceiling in hopes of forgetting a rotten world filled with broken dreams and promises. And she knows; god, she knows those cracks are about to fall.

She gripped the railing of the rooftop tightly to ground herself.

There was a sensation at the back of her neck, like something biting her skin in warning about something, or better yet someone.  **Someone's coming** . Someone's coming, and it's not Reborn, but someone's coming and you need to calm down Tsuna! She gritted her teeth as she screamed to herself. Was she losing her mind? Or was it all just in her head?

"Sawada?"

Tsuna breathed out quietly, trying to keep the hysteria at bay, before clearing her throat and turning to see the raven-haired girl looking back at her with concern.

"Hana"

"It's lunchtime, you disappear for hours. Come and eat, Kyoko is worried and that rude monkey is close to tearing-

"Tell me a lie"

"What?" Hana's concerned stare was increasing and it made her feel nervous and judged, especially when the raven-haired walked closer to her.

"Tell me a lie" Tsuna repeated, crossing her arms on her chest to stop them from hugging herself.

"Kyoko and that other girl are planning a surprise tea party for you that involves cute animals" Hana didn't know what to expect, but surely it wasn't for the brunette looking like she was just told her sick puppy died.

"That's true, isn't it?" Tsuna whispered, quickly avoiding her eyes and hunching into herself.

"Yes. Now, what is this all about? Hey, are you crying? Sawada, what the hell?"

"I'm just… this is so scary"

"There, there" Hana patted her awkwardly on the back, and if Tsuna flinched at the contact, neither of them mentioned it but Hana immediately gave her space "I don't know in what shit you got yourself into this time, but it can't be that bad, right? You always seem to pull it through, try harder this time"

"Y-yeah" Tsuna nodded, and it was a pathetic action that seemed to be to convince herself of something.

"Is everything okay?" Hana asked, but just as many times in the past, the brunette shield herself with a porcelain mask, glassy eyes hiding all the turmoil that was going on inside.

"Yeah…" Tsuna gave her a weak smile before walking out of the roof "I'm gonna eat now..."

Hana watched her leave, but she knew better than to press for non-existent answers. The brunette was the most stubborn person she ever met and an idiot too. She had known her for a little close to 3 years now; it was enough time for her to discern all the white lies the brunette says, yet most of the time she remained a mystery.

There were days when she was a stranger in front of her eyes; others, she just looked like a tired girl without a place to belong. Hana didn't know or understand how she and Kyoko became friends when their personalities were so different. But the brunette welcomed the presence of the other girl; and apparently, Kyoko was an expert at reading Tsuna's mood so if there was someone who could get answers, it was probably her.

But if Tsuna didn’t want to talk and asking Kyoko must probably make her worry and seek the brunette for answers, then perhaps it was best to wait a little more before acting. Shaking her head, she turned around to follow the brunette but as she did so, a bad stench of burnt waste reached her nose.

Hana looked around the roof until her gaze landed at the railing where the brunette once stood, eyebrows and nose frowning when she saw a black stain over the metal rail with slight white smoke disappearing into the air. It made her curse out loud.

She knew that the brunette hanging around with that Italian monkey would be troublesome. She haS seen him smoking outside of school after all, and she clearly remembers the brunette using some kind of fire in that pathetic mock fight with the older Sasagawa. Not to mention, her mood just now was alarming.

Hana sighed and fixed her uniform as she walked back to class, making plans and strategies for an intervention. She would have to keep an eye on her in case the brunette develops pyromaniac tendencies.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Gokudera felt useless.

Not only did he endangered his boss's life by letting that baseball freak tattle information to those bastards, but he wasn't strong enough to hold them off on his own. He had to be rescued by the demonic prefect and now he wasn't at school and Juudaime probably connected the dots already.

He's been tense all day, looking at windows and every corner with his fingers twitching for either a smoke or a stick of dynamite. It didn't help that his boss seemed out of it too. It looked like the reality of the situation was finally sinking in, and although her body posture was calm and lazy at times, her glassy eyes looked around without really seeing, ignoring everything around her but being aware of every movement at the same time. It was driving them both crazy.

She didn't return to the classroom until lunch time, and he made it his main mission to not take his eyes away from her. All he wanted was to sit next to her in a comfortable place and watch some movies until midnight to calm them both, but no. They have to fight for their lives and everyone's involved.

His sense to protect the brunette girl increased each day and it was becoming less of a duty and more of a want.

He doubted the demonic prefect would confess the information those bastards wanted. He didn't like him, but he wasn't childish to deny the strange bond the skylark has with his boss. So Juudaime's identity was safe for a little more.

Still, it didn't change the fact that he was stressing over what to do next. If he was spotted with her they would immediately target her, but if he wasn't there she could still get hurt. She hasn't given any order regarding the attack. He didn't know what she was planning or thinking, and it frustrated and pained him at the same time.

He was at a crossroad and didn't know what to do, and as the bell rang announcing classes were over he was tempted to seek Reborn and ask for guidance. But in the end, his boss decided for him.

"Gokudera-kun"

"Yes, Juudaime?"

"At the gate, walk away from me and don't look back"

Tsuna could feel his conflicted emotions, but she ignored his worried eyes as she fixed her hair and pulled a happy smile. Above in the trees, a flock of birds took flight and Gokudera walked away with clenched fists. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt his boss, he swore to himself.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Sasagawa Kyoko was not stupid.

She was more aware of things than people give her credit for. Of course, she has innocent naive thoughts and believed that there was good in every people's hearts. Friendly, responsible and charming without trying, all she wanted was for everyone around her to be happy.

So when her older brother kept coming home with bloody knuckles and a bruised face, she took it upon herself to learn first aid. She never yelled nor did she lose her temper, but if there was one thing she hated the most was seeing her brother get hurt.

Growing up with him was difficult. Because of his hot-blooded nature and acting without thinking mannerism, her parents had to keep a close watch on him. Kyoko didn't mind though, she was a quiet little girl who knew how to behave well. She wasn't jealous of the attention they gave the older boy, quite the contrary. She admired his passion and courage and thrived to be like him someday.

Through all her life, there was just one single moment when she conjured enough courage to stand up for someone, and that was a precious memory she kept dear to her. And it's not like that courage left her, she just simply didn't know what else to do with it.

She was trapped in a sunny day facade, where bright smiles hid away her real thoughts, just like a doll.

And maybe that’s why people didn't think twice when talking to her because they just see what she wanted them to see, a cheerful girl incapable of getting sad.

Maybe that's why she saw people more clearly and knew when they were feeling down or in distress, maybe students liked to confide in her because she listened to them and understood what they were going through. She was empathetic.

Which is why growing up with an older brother who constantly got hurt and parents who tended to fuss over his well being and in turn tend to give her less attention made her more aware of the way they said things so as to not hurt her feelings.

She never held it over them, dismissing their white lies as they were. So when her mother said she couldn't bake cookies with her because she was driving her brother to a boxing match, it meant she was taking the unruly child to the hospital to check a black eye. And on the outside, she was okay. She let them believe everything was okay to the point she herself believed it.

There was just one problem, her brother sucked at lying. The first time it happened was when they were both kids and he took a blast full of rocks to the face by some nasty kids in the playground. He told her he fell on a rocky hill searching for a frog. And she believed him because he was her older brother. Even though she saw him fight those bullies with her own eyes.

But as the lies kept spinning and his injuries kept increasing beyond his boxing matches, she knew they were only going to get worse, but she didn't have the power to stop him. She didn't consider herself a coward for not trying, because she knew that he wouldn't stop, even if she asked.

So she smiled at him, giggling at his made-up tales and treated his injuries with care, letting him believe his reckless behaviour didn't hurt her every time she saw him.

And then she met Sawada Tsunayuuki, and the white lies she was used to hearing became  _ true Lies. _

She couldn't understand her, couldn't feel anything from her. Perhaps it was simple curiosity and admiration that drove her to strike a friendship with the quiet brunette. Even though it was hard, even when the other girl refused time and time again, Kyoko didn't give up.

That courage she harboured inside of her let her keep trying to form a friendship with the lonely girl until walking to school together became a routine, until eating lunch next to each other became a must every day without even asking.

As the years went by and they grew up, Kyoko was proud of herself to note that she was finally able to understand some of the brunette’s quirks and moods. She knew when she needed company and when to back away, she knew when she was stressed and when a strawberry cheesecake was the remedy after a long day. And it was also then that she knew something that was meant to be horrible, that she had become Tsuna's doll.

It might be sad and pitiful, Hana would definitely throw a fit but Kyoko understood. She was not an idiot, and it took her some time but she was okay with it because she knew the brunette needed her.

So the moment when a happy Tsuna hugged her arm and made her walk away quickly from school, she giggled and played along.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna could feel danger lurking as she walked out of school, it was an anxious prickling sensation that made her hug Kyoko's arm tighter and walk faster to the suburbs district. She felt bad for leaving Gokudera on his own, but it was for the best. The probability of being attacked if they were spotted together was high, so she couldn't risk it.

Kyoko was telling her about a new cake shop she and Haru discovered that let you pet animals inside. Tsuna knew right away that one of these days she was going to be dragged to said shop for a surprise tea party. And she was actually okay with it because let's face it, cake + cute animals was a great therapy.

As they neared the neighbourhood, Tsuna could feel her shoulders relax just barely, but a pang of worry and fear hit her as she looked at Kyoko. 

"Tsuna-chan?" She asked when the brunette stopped walking and was wearing a perturbed expression.

"Kyoko, please don't go out tonight" It was an odd request, but Kyoko could feel a turmoil eating at her friend. She had plans with Haru later today, but she could move her agenda for her friend.

"Are you going to be okay?" She asked instead.

"I don't know" Tsuna confessed, and perhaps she had a vulnerable expression on her face because the next thing she knew, she was being hugged by the orange-haired girl.

"Kyoko?"

"You looked like you needed a hug" Kyoko smiled at her when she stepped back "Promise you will take care of yourself"

"Yeah"

There wasn’t much else to say. Kyoko wouldn't ask and Tsuna wouldn’t tell her, so they talked about school and the cake shop as they walked until they parted ways in the next crossroad that divided their home routes.

Alone, it wasn't a minute later that Tsuna called for her little guardian.

"Reborn" The hitman's presence on her shoulder did nothing to soothe her nerves, but she did feel a bit safer. "What now?"

"Let's go home"

"Where's Dino?"

"Grounded in his room. If he is seen with you, it's game over. You did well at calling Gokudera away but expect his presence soon, he will never let his boss alone and at risk"

"Mukuro has Kyoya" Tsuna informed him as she walked towards her house "They are in Kyokuyo Land"

"What are you going to do with this information?"

"I don't know"

Her fingers twitched, so she hugged herself to prevent her hands from shaking any further. They were silent for the remaining walk, Reborn letting his student sort her runaway thoughts in silence.

"I'm home" She called as soon as she opened the door and the smell of baked food and sound of laughter made her nerves instantly relax. Home was truly a sanctuary.

"How was school dear?" Her mother asked as she came from the kitchen to welcome her.

"I aced my math exam"

"Really? That's great, dear!" Nana happily cheered and she could feel Reborn's curious stare but she ignored it. She quickly removed her shoes and walked towards her room, letting her mother know that she would eat later. 

Once in her room, she picked Reborn from her shoulder and set him on her desk despite his stiffness at her action.

"Your hands are cold"

"It's strange..." Tsuna said as she stared at her hands "This morning made me remember when I was little. Glass seemed to shatter in my hands no matter what"

"Mama said something about plastic cups"

"It was really troublesome to feed me if everything just went boom" She made a motion with her hands while giggling, but it sounded hollow. The hitman watched her pace around her room, it was obvious she wanted to ask something but didn't know how or better yet, didn't have the courage to do it.

So he let her gather her thoughts while he tended his beloved pet. Leon was still solidified in a glowing globe, but any moment now and whatever he was cooking inside would be revealed. He was curious to see what kind of object the brunette would need from the little chameleon. It was always unexpected but useful.

"Reborn?" He turned to see her sitting in her bed, fingers twitching over themselves in a nervous manner "Reborn, how did Nono's sons die?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"They were candidates for the Decimo position and now they are dead. I'm next in line, I need to know everything"

He considered her words for a moment but saw no harm in indulging her curiosity.

"Massimo was found dead in the Tevere River, drowned by force. Enrico was shot in the head multiple times in a gunfire between enemies famiglias and lastly, Federico the youngest was reduced to ashes, not even his bones remained"

"Huh…"

Reborn blinked. She was thinking, no... She was analyzing what he said, not the context but the way he said it. The way her eyes gleamed for a second was alarming, and he didn’t know what kind of thoughts were running in her head as she processed the information. She spent two years in Italy, surely she didn't… or did she?

"Tsuna, did you met any of them during your stay in Italy?"

"Not really" She hugged her knees as she shook her head "I wasn't allowed to go to HQ unless Iemitsu was there, and that was only one time. Must have been sad, to lose everyone..."

Not a lie, but there was something nagging at him. Something was hidden deep in her sad eyes.

It was a look that made him want to smack her head. He didn't do that, instead, he threw a big black book next to her, and the way she jumped and yelped at being startled by the sudden object made him smirk.

"What's this?" She asked as she poked the book, she wouldn't put it past the hitman if the book came alive and bit her.

"You said you wanted to know everything. Read that, we are having a pop quiz"

She grabbed the heavy book and placed it on her lap. She didn't know whether to snort or pout at the title. 'Everything you need to know about the Mafia 101 for dummies'.

"Tsuna dear! We are going to the park!" Nana called from downstairs, followed by the cheers from the kids.

"Okay! Have fun!" She opened the book to start reading but just as she touched the first page and the sound of the front door being closed echoed, she whipped her head in the direction of it with wide eyes "Fuuta?"

"Dame-Tsuna, what is it?"

"I-I don't know… I just…" But she knew,  _ she knew _ ,  **she knew** . Even though she bit her lip and shook her head to get the image away from her thoughts, it remained there. She shuddered and looked at Reborn with conflicted eyes. "Fuuta is getting kidnapped"

Reborn blinked back at her.

**.**

**.**

**.**

There was something about cherry blossom trees that filled him with wonder. He knew nothing about them; growing up locked in a laboratory, his view and knowledge of the world was minimum for a long while.

So when he managed to possess the mind of a stupid guard and saw big pink trees that looked like cotton candy in his memories, he decided he wanted to see them for himself.

It was pure coincidence Vongola Decimo was rumoured to be hiding in Japan, land of the pink trees. But when he set foot on the Asian land, no matter how much he looked, there was not one single spot of pink in the trees. It's not the season, he heard some old grannies say. And it filled him with great disappointment, so he decided to make trees for himself.

So he walked into the woods searching for a good spot to illusion the trees and recreate the cotton candy-like-petals he once saw.

He never thought he would find something better, a beautiful light coated in blood.

A girl with sunset eyes and blood in her smile. It was calming and exciting, it filled him with so much wonder and just like the cherry blossoms, he wanted her too.

As they walked together, he found it amusing how despite her initial mistrust of him, they ended up talking about the weather of all things. He soaked in her glances and stares, ate them like a little child seeing Christmas lights for the first time.

"Have we… met before?" She suddenly asked, careful not to trip over a root in the ground.

"I'd have had the pleasure, I'm afraid. Do I look familiar to you?"

"To a ghost, maybe" She smiled teasingly to an inner joke he was not part of, but he wanted to.

As they approached a clearing, he could hear loud voices yelling. He knew his time with the girl was over, and how he wished to preserve it. But just like the cherry blossoms would always bloom once more, he was sure he would meet that girl again.

"No luck, huh?" he called to the person kneeling in front of him.

He never did find the perfect spot for his illusions, so he decided to fill the old room of an abandoned building with the pink trees instead, that way he could always see them while he rested and plotted. All that was lacking was a clear sky to make the pink leaves shine and dance in the air.

"I apologize, Mukuro-sama," Ken said "It's just… there is no sight of Vongola Decimo anywhere, byon. That bomber has been patrolling the area, but it's as if this Tsuna kid isn't real"

"No, I don't believe he exists. Isn't that right, birdy?" He crossed his legs and rested his head on one arm perched on the couch, staring down at the battered body of the violent guy who was glaring at him intensely, like wishing for his head to explode by his mere stare. It only made him laugh.

All good things come to those who wait. Just like he waited to get stronger and killed all those pigs in white who stole his life, he waited for his beacon of light to appear once again. And waltzing through his door in a fury dance was the last key for his plan.

He was strong, he recognized that. But he was no match for his supreme illusions. It was kind of poetic how the mighty knight that came to kill the beast fell at the sight of cherry blossoms. And what a precious mind he had, calm but guarded with dangerous spikes. He was only able to sneak images before he was hit in the face. But he saw enough.

Sunset eyes.

He laughed for a long time, the odds really were in his favour. He could understand now why Vongola Decimo was so desired if just by being in her presence could make you feel warm and mad in power. He wanted to possess it. Her. He wanted her.

"I believe we have a princess to capture or will she come willingly? I wonder..."

The boy at his feet hissed in threat, but Mukuro ignored him. He turned towards the other boy present in the room and gave the order.

"Get the kid"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Fuuta never knew what a family was supposed to be like.

He didn't have memories of his early days. The clearest he could remember already involved a book and a strange power that brought luck to people around him. He could distinguish his parent's faces from that period of time and knew he was loved. But then he wasn't.

His first capture was met with blood and pain. Some men destroyed his house and ripped him away from his bed. He was chained to a chair and forced to write day and night until his fingers blistered. He never asked his captors what happened to his parents, for it was the first thing he asked the planet, the first ranking being that they were no longer alive.

The second kidnapping was better. He was locked inside a comfortable room, filled with toys and necessities, he was given 2 meals a day and allowed to play in the garden in exchange for rankings of how to steal money, diamonds and gold.

But it didn’t stop there. Like an orphaned boy, he was passed through house after house, never really having a say in the matter and used for his ranking powers. Sometimes it was better, sometimes it was not.

Mafia famiglias used his rankings to steal and get glory. He despised it so much, but he was young and weak, there was nothing he could do but plan. So one night, when the patrons of the house left him locked up in his room, he ranked every possible escaping plan, any person who could help him survive.

And then he found her.

For weeks, the name Sawada Tsunayuuki became a mantra to him. Because she ranked first place on a Mafia associate who will lend you a hand no matter what. He dreamed of his rescue, of meeting her and just going on everyday adventures with her.

It was his reason for hiding in a boat sailing to Japan when the car he was in got a flat tire after telling the boss that if he drove in that direction, he would find gallons of gold - and who was he to not believe Fuuta after the fortune he made him?-. 

So he ran into the rainy night, clutching his book tightly as he jumped into the floating boat and hid in the cargo boxes. Surviving for two days with just gummy bears and a juice box.

He knew there would be searches for him, the worst being that some runaway convict had set his eyes on him too. But he couldn't stop now that he was so close to freedom. The girl he only knew by name was his dream worth risking his life for.

But he was a kid, so young and naive. So when he located her in Namimori and was close to finding her, he ranked every little possible way he could think of her. And the more he knew, the more he felt the magical castle he built up crumble.

But he didn't lose hope. It's been just two days but he could say that it had been the best moments of his life. Waking up in a warm bed, fighting over breakfast, watching cartoons and waiting for the brunette girl to return from school.

The Sawada household was light and beautiful. He didn't expect other mafia kids to be living there; but he liked them, even the snotty Lambo. It was like an unspoken rule they all had, to avoid talking about the Mafia and such in front of Sawada Nana. So being mundane and childlike was a breath of fresh air for them all.

Which is why, when he saw Mukuro's minions stalking the park he and the others were at, he went willingly with them to prevent someone from getting hurt.

He couldn't give the information Mukuro wanted because Omertà had been forged. The moment Sawada Tsunayuuki became his key to freedom, he swore loyalty to her. Trusting his heart blindly that she would help and rescue him no matter what.

And as Mukuro told him that there were other ways to get the girl, Fuuta thought it was going to be okay, because he knew.

Sawada Tsunayuuki was meant to be his salvation, but also his cage. Because she also ranked number 1 as the girl who will most likely break his heart.

She wasn't going to come.

.

.

.

Reborn watched Tsuna pacing in her room, biting her nails and tugging at her hair for minutes. Wide eyes looking around and searching for something that wasn't there.

She had changed clothes five times. Going from a comfortable jersey to dark street clothes. She had lost all shame in changing in front of him by that point. Right now, she was wearing pale jeans, a long-sleeved indigo shirt and that huge furred jacket Dino gave her.

He watched her process and break down in seconds, mind already running in every worst-case scenario, her heart almost believing they were true. He was starting to get worried she would get a panic attack by all the overthinking.

"Dame-Tsuna"

"Please stop calling me that"

"Tsuny-Tsundere then" She made a choking- groan-kind of sound but didn't stop her pacing.

"What are you thinking? Run it through me"

"Fuuta was kidnapped. That's bad but he… he will be okay? It's Gokudera and Yamamoto who I’m worry about"

"Oh, you worry"

"Yes, Reborn, I worry!" She snapped at him, but as quick as the fierceness appeared in her face it transformed into desperation. "I don't know what this feeling is and it's driving me crazy. T-Today... today we had a math test and I- I forgot but got every answer right. I got every answer right like some kind of lottery good lucky shot, Reborn. I just got this feeling and... What is happening to me?"

She asked him with bright eyes, scared of herself and her unexpected abilities. Reborn wanted to keep it a secret until he was 100% sure, but even Shamal could connect the dots. Tsuna had developed Vongola's curse. The hyper intuition.

"What else is that feeling telling you?"

"Tsuna!" Nana's anxious shout was suddenly heard from downstairs.

"It's gonna happen" she whispered to him. And he could see it, her resolve swirling in her eyes, shifting and cementing.

He quickly grabbed his gun and Leon, as the brunette made her way downstairs. Lambo and Ipin were strangely quiet, both looking at her mother pace the living room with worry.

"Mom"

"I can't find Fuuta. He was just behind me one second and the next- oh Tsuna, what are we going to do?!"

"Mom" Tsuna approached her mother with her hands raised but didn't touch her "Mom. It's all right, Fuuta… he's scared. He probably got overwhelmed"

"We'll look for him, Sawada-mama" Bianchi said at her side, grabbing Nana by the shoulders to help her sit on the couch "Unfortunately, we can't call the police. If Fuuta doesn't have a passport they might take him away"

"I'll find him, I promise"

"Please be careful" Nana's teary eyes were like a bullet going through Tsuna's heart.

She quickly nodded and walked away from the room, hands flying to her mouth to prevent any sound from escaping. She shut the door of the house softly and shudders a breath, resting her weight over it.

"I don't want to go, Reborn" She trembled, hands shaking.

"But you have to"

"I can't do this"

"Yes you can" Reborn said as he sat on her shoulder "And you will, with your dying will"

"Dying will… what use is it if I die?"

"Take a deep breath, Tsuna"

She did, taking a huge breath as she ran her fingers through her hair, fixing her gaze into the horizon.

"Let's go"

As they walked through the lonely streets, neither of them mentioned the tears running down the brunette's face.

.

.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading guys!
> 
> This chapter was more of an insight into the characters thoughts and introduction of the current Arc. Next chapter will definitely contain fighting scenes and a bit of violence, so beware. Also, the relationships between them will be further explored as the story goes, both past and present.


	12. Tsuna Awakens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, sentient beings! Welcome back!
> 
> This was one of my favorites chapters to write so far, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Heads Up! The chapter is a monster in length, also mind the tags:  
> #Angst #Violence #Blood #Injury #MindGames #SoMuchAngst #Hurt

*

*

*

_*ty*w*l*_

_There is a secret room in the Vongola Mansion._

_She has only been there once but it feels like a visit from a thousand nights. Nostalgic and familiar, underneath a dusted staircase there hides a tree that shadows a gravestone. Through day and night, it showers the ground with spring delights. It didn't matter if no one ever came down there, green leaves and pale magnolias that brighten the space with gentle love always surrounded the place._

_"Were you waiting for me, my lady?"_

_"I knew you would come" She should have felt threatened, his presence bringing nothing but trouble and misfortune on a night like this. Never mind how he found her hiding spot, but panic was the least of her thoughts at the moment._

_"Are you going to stop me?"_

_"No" She felt his presence get close, like a cool breeze waltzing around her body and making goosebumps appear all over. She didn't turn to see him, didn't acknowledge the coldness seeping into her skin like a mocking caress._

_"How curious. Such beauty and power withering away like the dead flowers of your garden"_

_"Every flower here is a soul blossoming in nature and mine is the power to destroy them. Would you like to see?"_

_"Kufufu, curious indeed"_

Tsuna startled awake, her head bumping against the train's window by a sudden turn it took. Groaning softly, she straightened in her seat while rubbing the sore spot in her head. She took the opportunity to look around; it was pretty empty at such late hours, the train only having two more passengers beside her.

Sighing, she leaned back in her seat and stared at the foggy crystal of the window, watching the world go by under her blurry mirage, just a reflection of another dream.

"It's our next stop" Reborn said at her side.

He hasn't talked much since they departed and let her brood her mess of thoughts without giving much input on how to proceed with the 'rescue mission' she was embarking. More like forced too, she thought bitterly as she pulled the furred hood of her jacket over her head.

"Where's Dino?" She asked quietly, her voice nothing but a hoarse whisper by the lump in her throat that just kept growing the more the train approached their destination by the stress and anxiety her body was experiencing.

"On standby. This is a Vongola matter, no outsiders can step in. Nono's orders"

"Does Grandpa Timothy really expect a girl with no training to face and capture a murderer?"

"He wishes for you to resolve this matter before it escalates as part of being the Decimo candidate. I, on the other hand, expect the very best of you"

"You'll be disappointed"

"We'll see"

Once the train reached their station, they walked in silence through the streets, the chill of the night being their only mediator for neither refused to initiate a talk. And it was fine, Tsuna had nothing to talk about. Not if it meant cursing and whining and crying about the unfairness of life and forced expectations.

Looking up, she saw an abandoned building from afar. Every step she took felt like a jab going through her gut. Her head throbbed, it was like her brain was swelling and any minute threatening to explode. There was also sweat gathering in her back, but her body felt cold. She just prayed that if she survived the night she wouldn't catch a fever by the stress she was putting on her body.

If she didn't survive, well... she would damn well find a way to drag Reborn down with her.

As she approached the abandoned Kokuyo Land, it wasn't until she rounded the corner and spotted two familiar figures already waiting for her that made her pointless plotting come to an abrupt stop, because damn them.

"What are you doing here?"

Both guys turned to see her, both eager and happy despite the bandages around them.

"Juudaime!"

"We are in this together, Tsuna"

"Are you suicidal?" She asked still in shock, in her shoulder, Reborn merely huffed in amusement.

"I'm starting to think I will become an adrenaline junkie" Yamamoto said without any shame.

"Ignore the idiot, Juudaime. I'm your backup. We face these bastards together" Gokudera replied, putting a hand on his chest as if to solidify his words.

Tsuna just continued to stare at them with incredulous eyes. They fought and were beaten just yesterday, she didn't ask nor demand anything and yet, here they were. Ready to fight the very same people who defeated them in her name.

"Get a grip Dame-Tsuna" Reborn tugged one strand of her hair to grab her attention. Right, deep breaths Tsuna, deep breaths.

"Oh my god, you're idiots" she cursed, bringing one hand to her face in tired exasperation.

"Yeah, I've heard that a lot" Yamamoto put his hands behind his head, not taking any offence.

"What's your plan, Juudaime?" Gokudera asked.

"We go in… rescue Fuuta and Kyoya... and then we go out" Tsuna said between pauses, moving her finger between the building and the corner of the streets as if the small and short action would simplify the dangerous quest.

"Fuuta?" Gokudera asked in confusion, probably recognizing the mafia name.

"Kyoya?" Yamamoto raised an eyebrow in confused amusement that Tsuna completely ignored.

"And try not to get hurt in the process" She concluded with putting her hands inside the pockets of the jacket, her fingers touching the smooth ball that was Leon before turning to see the abandoned building. She didn't remember why the amusement park was abandoned, she was already out of the country when it probably happened and when she returned; well, she didn't had anyone to go with so she never questioned why.

Now, beaten and rusted, it became the hideout of dangerous runaway prisoners that were out for her blood. As if that wasn't creepy enough, they had to come here at night. Total cliché for a horror movie.

"You heard your boss" Reborn said, snapping everyone's attention. Tsuna merely scrunched her nose when both guys saluted as if they just received an order from their army commander. And wasn't that a bitter thought, for all they knew they could very well be marching to their graves.

"Yes, sir!"

"Mam!"

"Let's go..." She sighed tiredly, her body not wanting to but started to walk towards the entrance of the park. It was dark, which was to be expected. The yellow streetlights did little to light the way, the moon being their next source of light. She mildly bemoaned the thought for not bringing a flashlight, but then again, it would bring unwanted attention so sneaking in the dark was probably their best shot.

"So, Kyoya?" Yamamoto teased her with a grin at her side.

"Shut up" She murmured, not wanting to talk nor grab attention.

"Since when were you on a first name basis with him?"

"Since always. I just don't call him that in public, he hates it"

"Oi, stop distracting Juudaime, you bastard!" Gokudera yelled in a hushed whisper. Well, at least he had instincts for being sneaky. Yamamoto raised both of his hands in a surrendering motion but didn't walk away from her side. The bomber Italian was at the front, head snapping in every direction and looking for trouble.

Reborn was a silent presence in her shoulder, even with Leon out of commission she knew the hitman was armed with weapons. He hadn't tense or said anything, so that gave her time to breathe.

"You know, we should totally go to the arcade near the school, I heard they have some cool games there"

"Are you seriously asking Juudaime on a date!? While we are on a stealth mission!? Have you got no brains?"

Tsuna suddenly stilled, making Reborn grip her hair by the sudden action and to prevent her from doing anything rash. She sucked a breath and tilted her head, waiting for a heartbeat before stopping. She felt it before she heard it. The steps.

"You two! Shh!"

As soon as the words left her lips, Gokudera jumped in front of her, grabbing some dynamite in his hand while Yamamoto gripped the baseball bat he was carrying on his back and putting a hand across her chest to push her slightly behind but keeping her close. She stared incredulously at the two, because what the hell are they doing? It's not like they were in danger; otherwise, her mind would be screaming bloody murder if that was the case.

"l caught up with you" A panting figure approached them.

"Bianchi" Reborn called her name.

"Guhk, sis…" Gokudera doubled over while he tried not to gag, Yamamoto looked funnily at him and patted his back while the poison scorpion pouted as she was forced to put on some goggles despite being night time.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Tsuna.

"You did your homework and I did mine. There are three guys in there, as well as a girl and someone else. I'm your back up" She told them with her hands on her hips "You bring Fuuta to me and I'll take him home while you focus on the big threat"

"Thanks" Tsuna nodded at her; while the help was unexpected it was welcoming.

"Let's go then!" Yamamoto clapped his hand and walked first towards the main road of the park.

"Idiot! Do you think this is a field trip or something?!"

Tsuna let them walk ahead with Bianchi not a little further from the group. How can they be so energetic in a dangerous situation was beyond her. Her anxiety already left her body numb, she was feeling kinda detached overall that was happening, she couldn't decide if that was a good or bad thing.

"You're quiet" Statement of the century.

"It's a lost cause, Reborn"

"Why is that?"

"Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun didn't stand a chance the first time, they're injured now. Ryohei-senpai and Kyoya were taken down, they were the strongest people I know from town and although I'm grateful for Bianchi's help, I'm sure you won't step in if my life's in danger"

She murmured back to him, tilting her head down to make the hood shadow half of her view. She watched her feet walk over the dirt with no real direction to follow when in truth they were leading to a path that was forcefully laid out for her.

"There's no way someone like me can defeat a guy like him. It's useless"

"You don't believe that" Reborn said, and that sentence alone made her stop and raise her head. "The people around you don't believe that. They came for you, Tsuna. To help you. Nothing is truly useless until you have given up"

She wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that his words were meant to soothe her nerves and calm her heart. That they were real and true to ease the worry and not just a pep-talk that would make his job easier. Because in the end, that was why he was here. The reason why everyone was here. Not on their own free will, but forced by one thing or another.

"Keep moving"

So she did.

Useless as it was, they were already here. There was no escaping whatever this was.

They only had a few more minutes of silence before a tingling sensation crawled down her back. Her shoulders hunched in trepidation as everyone else stopped beside her.

"Something's coming"

There was growling in the area, Gokudera was already lighting some dynamite as he glared at the darkness and Yamamoto lowered his stance a bit, as if ready to jump at any threat that dared approach.

"It's the beast-boy" He said, and as if being summoned, a shadow jumped in front of them. Tsuna could see the figure of a hunched boy, snarling at them with drool over his elongated teeth. The yellow light did little to highlight his features, but she had no doubt they were in animalistic looking.

"Tsuna, right? byon" He snarled at her, looking at her with crazy glee.

She wanted to give a snarky remark, but her lips remained closed. There was an oppressive feeling in her chest, a lump that prevented her from speaking and made her want to puke. She should probably get her hands out of her jacket pockets for any quick action required, but she couldn't move. She was frozen in place staring at the boy in front of them. And yet, her mouth parted and her voice came out before she was even aware of it.

"Move" She barked the order, just in time as the beast boy lunged at them. She was lucky Yamamoto was there to pull her with him because her legs refused to move. Reborn tsked in her shoulder, obviously displeased by her lack of action. She needed to snap out of it if she intended to survive the night. But it was hard; her mind was somewhere else while her eyes witnessed the events unfolding in front of her.

There was a whisper in her thoughts, like the echo of the wind from the inside of a room, crying **danger.**

"I got it" The boy at her side said as he dashed forwards, tackling the beast boy. Tsuna saw it before it happened but was too late to warn him.

"Wait, Yamamoto don't-!

The call came too late, the baseball-ace was already falling. Both Tsuna and Gokudera dashed towards the broken floor, kneeling over the redge to peer down below.

"Yamamoto?!"

"Oi! You stupid idiot, are you there?" They waited for 5 long seconds before a familiar voice called from the darkness.

"I'm okay!"

"But you won't be"

There was a snarl, followed by a grunt. A brawl of dying shouts and heavy pants. Tsuna liked horror movies, if only to appreciate the makeup and special effects, but not the suspense. Not when darkness ruled over her sight and she was left to guess the outcome by the sounds. But even if she was scared for Yamamoto's life, her heart wasn't hammering in distress like in the movies. Because somehow, it was like she knew how things were going to end for him.

"What the hell is happening down there?!"

"There used to be a greenhouse around, I think that's it" Tsuna pointed out, fingers gripping over the broken edge to hold her weight as she leaned down as much as she could. But it was no use, they couldn't see anything.

"Oi! Sport-freak! You need to knock him down! Stop playing around"

"I'm going to rip your friend to shreds, byon. And then you're next!"

"So, all I have to do is defeat my opponent right? Mafia game rules sure are easy"

Yamamoto spoke with surprising calmness, the atmosphere around him changing with a sharpness that wasn't there before. If it weren't so dark, Tsuna would have been able to see the narrowing of his eyes.

"Let's play"

"He changed…" Tsuna muttered.

"Yamamoto's father was an experienced hitman. With good training, he could pass the legacy to his son"

"Wait, what?" Gokudera asked in surprise, not knowing the family background of the baseball player. "Then why is he an idiot?!"

"Tsuna! Go ahead!" The shout from below echoed around them.

"Are you crazy!?" Gokudera and Tsuna exclaimed at the same time. Yamamoto couldn't really see them but he was sure they were looking down at him with incredulous expressions. It almost brought a smile to his face, if he wasn't so focused on not getting killed.

"You have your mission. I'll find you as soon as I can. Go!" He gruffed as he blocked the sharp claws of the beast boy.

Tsuna bit her lip as she leaned back. The decision was hers alone, no one else was going to choose for her. If they leave now, they had the opportunity to find the missing persons quicker but she might as well be leaving Yamamoto to die. Or will she?

She shuddered, feeling a pulse behind her eyes. It was hard and sick to decide someone else's fate, but the sooner this was dealt with the better.

"Don't die, idiot" She ordered before standing up.

Gokudera faltered for a second, but he was at her side before she blinked. She didn't turn back, jogging through the dark amusement park and following a blind thread as they venture further into the area.

"Bianchi" She called back to the woman beside them.

"If you're leaving me behind, take Hayato with you" Was the quick response. Bianchi was a welcoming surprise, it pleased Tsuna to know that the experienced hitwoman was in synchronisation with her thoughts.

"As soon as we find him, take Fuuta away from here"

"You need to think about what to do, in case you don't find him"

"I will find him" Tsuna reassured them and herself. It was a fact, Fuuta was here. The pulse in her head agreed wholeheartedly with her. Or was it the other way around?

The yellowish streetlights trembled as they were led to a path inside a building. A zoo? Food stalls? Whatever it was, it looked beat down and dirty. Tsuna scrunched her nose, why couldn't all problems and horror movies be resolved in daylight?

They enter the building, grimy walls surrounding them in a long hallway. Reborn shifted in her shoulder when a loud clang resounded around the place and lights suddenly shined down on them.

Gokudera placed an arm in front of her, pushing her slightly as a figure revealed itself in front of them. A girl with red hair in an ugly haircut.

"Ugg, you're as ugly as they said"

A wannabe popular girl with a nasty personality, the kind that would trash her things and soak her shoes just for a laugh.

Tsuna frowned as she stared at her. The dislike was mutual.

"Why Mukuro-sama wants you, I don't know. But his wish is my command"

"You're a loser" Tsuna blurted out, making the red-head gape at her in shock and indignation.

"What?!"

Tsuna quickly grabbed Gokudera's arm and ran towards the right corridor. The redhead exclaimed angrily and tried to follow them, but a purple smokey goo aimed at her face made her step aside to dodge.

"Go" Bianchi said, letting the two teens escape.

The girl stomped her foot and held a metal instrument up. It would be ridiculous not to take the girl seriously, an underground fight was still a fight after all. But no matter, Bianchi wasn't an arrogant person, she was confident in her skills.

And even as a high pitched un-tuned sound screeched in the air and things seemed to shift, Bianchi kept her sight focused on the red-haired girl.

All she needed was to touch that damn clarinet.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Gokudera was both surprised and expecting the brunette to act quickly and without orders. He was reluctant to leave the baseball idiot behind while injured and inexperienced, no because he cared for him, no. His pride and guilt were gnawing him.

He should have won that fight, prevented these bastards from knowing about the brunette's existence and kept her life secured. He's supposed to protect her, but not only has he failed once, he also dragged an innocent idiot along, something the girl clearly hated.

And yet, she so easily abandoned them without looking back. It was disconcerting. But he knew she wasn't dismissing them, it's been a month since he had known the girl and he has realized that despite being awkward with people and a bit cold at times, she cared. And she cared deeply.

The nails gripping his arm were enough indication that worry was crawling her skin, but her steps were confident and her gaze never once strayed from the path ahead despite the people she was leaving behind.

It should have been discouraging for a soon-to-be boss to dismiss people like that. But it wasn't. Gokudera knew she wasn't dismissing them like that, it was the opposite. She didn't want to leave them, but it was as if an unknown force was making her act without worry. She was blindly trusting them to win and come back to her.

It was amazing and terrifying at the same time.

They soon stopped in another dark room, barely illuminated by the streetlights from behind the window. Both stood against a wall, resting for a moment. Tsuna took the opportunity to rub the bruised and swollen skin below her eyes, the result of restless nights no doubt.

"Juudaime?"

"I'm getting the creeps" She confessed. Her shoulders tensed and hunched despite the weight of the hitman in one of them. Reborn was a comforting presence for both of them, but while Gokudera took it as a strong backup in case things turned wrong, he was the grim reaper for the brunette.

Gokudera looked at her tired form, she was exhausted and the fight for her hadn't even begun. Not physically, at least. But mentally…

"You're so brave" Tsuna was startled by that confession and turned to see him with surprised confusion.

"Not really. If only you knew…"

"I do know" He took one of her hands and gripped it tightly, startling her even further but not rejecting him "I know you didn't want to be here. But you are. I'm with you till the end, Juudaime"

Tsuna didn't know how to respond to that, to the full devotion. It hurt despite the pleasant spark it ignited, emotions like guilt and anxiety were in fight with a gratifying feeling that was impossible to ignore. Her head throbbed in response to her aching heart, a hollow like sensation begging to be filled. With what, she wasn't sure. But the soothing motion of fingertips against her knuckles felt oddly satisfying.

Gokudera, however, frowned as he turned to look at their hands, his fingers rubbing against hers in a gentle manner.

"Your hands are cold" He said with worry, his brain jumping into possible causes and solutions.

"They are always cold" She removed her fingers slowly from his grip and put her hands inside her jacket pockets, lightly brushing against the sleeping sphere-Leon in one of them.

"Stay sharp kids, opponent number three is here" Reborn said in her shoulders, after having ignored their 'bonding time'.

Both teens tensed and glued themselves to the wall, Gokudera once again placing an arm in front of her as steps were heard and the shadow of a figure crept closer.

"Hello, Hello. What a young flesh you are" An old man leered at them, or more specifically, at her.

"Oh my god, it's a weirdo" Tsuna whispered in disgust, her shoulders tensing at being in the direct line of the creeper stare.

"I will take care of him, Juudaime" Gokudera growled, pushing her behind him once again to block her figure from view.

"There's no need. After all, you'll not be leaving this site"

"What is that?" The sound of flapping wings above them made them flinch, as chirping screeches and tiny shadows soon appeared from behind the old man.

"Bats?"

"Birds!"

A flock of tiny birds swarm above them, pecking them and scratching them with their tiny claws. Tsuna cursed as she swatted with one hand and protected her face with the other. Reborn -the traitor- escaped to the ceiling with a grappling hook. How was he able to do his tricks without Leon, Tsuna had no idea.

"Mindless creatures, all you need is the right motivation to control them. Wouldn't you agree, Vongola?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tsuna growled.

"It's quite simple. By this time, your companions must have lost and been administered with lethal doses of poison. If you want to save everyone, you need to surrender. Better yet, if you want to save those girls, then you need to die"

"Girls" She blanched at the word. "Girls?!"

"I can see them now, such young ladies enjoying sweets, unaware of the danger they're in, because of you" He sneered with glee, taking in Gokudera's surprised expression and the brunette's angry one. "So, what would it be? Will you surrender peacefully or let-

He didn't get to finish his sentence, because Tsuna was in front of him tugging at his jacket harshly and glaring at him with glowing eyes.

"Listen to me you filthy piece of trash! You dare harm my friends, and I swear I will send you to hell, do you hear me?!"

"Oh my, she snapped" Reborn said, feeling a smirk curling on his lips at the hot anger from the girl. It was good, it showed she really cared. Even Gokudera jumped at her tone of voice in surprise, but he acted quickly though, ignoring the birds flying around and taking advantage of the old man's baffled expression.

Gokudera swept over his leg, kicking the weirdo behind his knees to making him stumble forward. Tsuna reacted quickly, just like Ryohei once tried to teach her, she pulled her arm back and delivered a strong right hook that landed right on the bird-man's face. His head crashed into the wall, knocking him out and both teens watched him slump over the floor.

"Is he...dead?"

"Unconscious. That was fast, congratulations" Reborn chirped once again in her shoulder.

"Yeah, no. Don't congratulate me! He could have hurt Kyoko and Haru!"

"You can relax, dame-Tsuna. I ordered the idiot cow and I-pin to guard the girls and Mama. Doctor Shamal is on standby too. They're safe"

"I know!" Tsuna huffed, tugging her hair as her head lolled to a side, staring at one of the corners of the room where a door was looming ominously in the dark. "But we have another problem"

Said problem came strolling in, glasses glinting by the light from the moon shining through the windows.

"You're not going further, Vongola"

"Is he the other one?" Tsuna asked the bomber at her side, who growled and took out some dynamite. He stepped in front of her, blocking her from view and pushing her back towards the exit from which the old man came from.

"I will take care of him, Juudaime"

"Gokudera" She warned him, knowing what he was implying without waiting for her orders. She didn't know what was worse, to abandon someone because she trusted they would follow or be abandoned by someone because they believed she will succeed.

"Trust me. I will save you time. Go" He reassured her with confidence "I'd be with you as soon as I'm done with him"

She bit her lip, feeling shameful and guilty. A part of her didn't want to leave but everything was going to be okay, the voices were telling her.

"Be careful" She told him before dashing towards the exit, blindly trusting him to keep the glasses-boy away from her when he rushed towards her.

"No you're not" Gokudera intercepted him, blocking his way and making Tsuna cross the doors towards another dark section.

"Your injured body won't last long" Chikusa said, frowning as he raised his yoyo's filled with needles. As if trying to remind him how he beat him and failed his mission.

"Look who's talking"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Oh my god. Breathe, just breathe. They are fine, they are going to be fine. Right? Right, yeah. Okay"

"Don't lose your head now, dame-Tsuna"

The brunette was crouching down, hugging her head as she breathed heavily in her knees. The dark hallway was long, dark and empty. It gave a foreboding sensation that made her skin crawl and her head pulse. She could feel the shadows closing in, and she was doing her best not to lose her breath in a panic attack.

Her head was screaming at her, the migraine-like feeling was threatening her eyes to pop out and her brain to swell. It surely felt like that, an oppressing feeling wanting to burst out.

"A boss shouldn't leave her subordinates to fight for themselves" Reborn scolds her without much scorn. He said he wouldn't get involved in her decisions, but she thought he would force her to fight every single opponent and stick together with the group.

"They are going to be fine" Tsuna stated boldly before cowering back in her hands "They are going to be fine, right?"

Reborn sighed, kicking her face without much force to drag her out of her thoughts. He had observed her movements and decisions so far without interfering. It was obvious she was seconds away from escaping through a window and hiding away, yet she continued walking the dark hallways with confidence in her steps.

A force was leading her into a path, making her leave the others to fend for themselves to focus on the next big thing. She didn't know what she was doing, but at the same time, she was doing exactly that.

Her hyper intuition was developing faster than he thought.

"What is your head telling you?"

"I need to find Kyoya" She stood up from her crouched position and placed a hand over the wall as she started to walk through the hallway in search of an exit.

"Kyoya?" His voice teased her.

"Drop it"

"Why is he so important all of a sudden? You wouldn't agree to come until his capture was known. Why? Is he your crush? Is that what motivates you? Love?"

"He owes me a life debt" Tsuna moved her upper lip up in a silent snarl "And I intend to reclaim it"

"In exchange for what?"

"My, my, aren't you a curious _baby_?" She dragged the last word in a soft mocking voice, making Reborn tug her hair in warning. It was becoming a habit of his, she noted dimly.

"Fuuta is here, I can… I can feel it. But there's danger lurking, the bad type"

"Good thing that's what you came for"

"Can't you just shoot me and get this over with?"

"I'm not your fairy godfather. I can't give you what you want like a foolish little child. You have to earn it"

"Earn it? I'm walking towards a potential murderer against my will! Don't you think I have earned enough?"

She cried out in exasperation, frustration and anxiety leaking from her voice at being forced to do something she didn't want. The Mafia was impossible to escape, once inside, it was a maze against time for you to find the exit. Every corner was filled with danger and lies, every turn a dead-end that made you go back and try again and again until you wear yourself to the point of burning the idea of the person you once were.

There was no way someone had found the right path out, and now she was venturing in hers.

Her fingers trailed over grim walls as she kept walking, the echoes of clangs and water dripping accompanied her through her little exploration in the unlit hallway. She couldn't see anything beyond the windows by how dark it was, she didn't have a mental map of the place so walking blindly was all she could do.

And just as the long corridor seemed to have no end, she reached a door were her fingers bumped into the handles. Gulping slightly and without turning back, she pushed the door and walked inside to what appeared to be another dark room, all the while cursing her inability to see and the shivers that shocked her body, tremors that Reborn felt without a doubt.

She was about to suggest going back and sticking to the streetlight windows when suddenly, a loud clang resounded. She stopped dead in her tracks when yellow lights shone above them, blinding her for a second and tensing her shoulders for what was to come.

"What is that feeling telling you?"

"For you to shut up"

She received another harsh tug in her hair for that.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Hibari Kyoya and Sawada Tsunayuuki were not friends.

True, they were more than acquaintances but neither would label their relationship as friendly, at least not out loud.

The Hibari's were known for their act first / think later brute force. They were a violent independent law that protected the town with fierce determination. The bloodline going from generations past, and now as the sole heir of the clan, it was his duty to bite to death anyone who dared disrespect the peace.

He didn't need friends, he didn't need to socialize with others when he was busy maintaining order in school and in the streets. Terrorizing anyone stupid enough who dared violate the rules Namimori has been trying to maintain for decades.

After all, the town wasn't a fairytale with sugar history, no matter how perfect and peaceful it seemed, its alleys and corner streets were tainted with greed and illegal deals.

He was doing a great job though, he didn't need to be arrogant to know that he was. But then one day, one little girl ruined the peace and order.

Ever since he saved her from drowning after she tried to rescue a cat, she has caused nothing but trouble for him. From the school's uproars to bandits and yakuza's riots, they have been involved one way or another with each other through struggles and inner conflicts.

There isn't someone who knew his thoughts better than her. Not even Kusakabe, although he comes in close. The brunette just seemed to know when he was in a really bad mood and left him to brood alone, she knew when a warm cup of tea was needed after a long day and the reason behind why he hated walking in crowds.

She can read him like an open book, just like he knows she needs to sleep to recharge her energy just as a mango-smoothie would help too. How she knows advanced personal defence and could move people to her will despite her bad grades and lonely attitude. He knew the real reason why she refused to connect with people.

And yet they never held their weaknesses against each other. She wasn't his servant nor his subordinate, just like he wasn't her puppet nor her companion.

They just coexisted together in harmony.

A harmony that was hard to reach thanks to the brunette's first refusals and avoidance, but once Hibari Kyoya gets his mind set on something, he stalks down with fury until he succeeds. So when she made it clear she wanted nothing to do with him, his response? He hunted her down. Her response? She tried to punch him in the face.

Through kicks and screams and tears and sweets, they formed an alliance of a sort where they helped one another and kept each other company when that was all they needed. And as the years passed, that alliance grew into something that couldn't be fit by a label. So they didn't name it.

It was a disaster at first, with both learning to work and trust a stranger, to get used to each other's attitudes and quirks.

In his case, he saw her as a walking contradiction. A little animal cowering in fear but wielding sharp claws and deadly teeth. And Hibari wanted to hone her skills out of pure self-satisfaction that he aided a carnivore in the making. But they tried and she failed, and her status thus remains as a little animal that needed protection.

But now a hitman has claimed her under his wing and she has brought the bloody Mafia to his town. That alliance was going to be stretched sooner or later.

Tsuna was wrong though, meeting her has been the stupidest thing he could have done, but befriending her would surely take him to his grave.

A grave made of ice-cold stones and pink petals drifting in the wind if he doesn't pull his strength back together. That convict escapee bastard had bested him, pulled magic tricks that hurt and blinded him and made a fool out of him as he attacked something that wasn't even there. He wouldn't have fallen for such a cheap trick if it weren't for his body betraying him.

There was something in his system that made his defences collapse, made his sight blurry and his muscles ache at the mere sight of those infernal cherry blossoms. After this was done, he would demand the trees to be removed from Namimori's middle school grounds.

He growled on the floor and raised his head to glare at the cause of his disgrace. That bastard was sitting on a beat out couch, but it didn't matter how old and dusty that thing was, the pineapple head was using it as a throne, looking smug and relaxed by just sitting there.

He knew the bastard was waiting for her, rather than seek her out himself he wanted the brunette to come to him. Sick psycho, Hibari thought with another snarl as he struggled to move his limbs that were being imprisoned by thorny vines.

No matter, it was only a matter of time till he broke free and beat that smug bastard to the ground. A Hibari never shows weakness in battle, so what if he couldn't see, what better way to fight illusions than not seeing them at all.

He was a carnivore, and round two looked bloodier and vicious as the seconds ticked by. His fingers twitched at whatever was in his system fought to keep him down, but he managed to curl his hand into a fist.

It was obvious he would fight back and protect his claim.

Whatever it takes.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Tsunayuuki"

Her eyes opened at the soft voice and quickly looked around in search of the owner. The room was vast, it probably used to be a cafeteria with the tables long gone and food stands forever closed. But there in the middle stood a little boy.

"Fuuta?"

"I knew you'd come" He ran towards her, and she knelt down just in time as he launched himself towards her arms and hugged her tightly. Reborn jumped away from her shoulder before he was thrown over and stood close by, inspecting the area and calculating the situation.

"Fuuta, are you hurt?" She moved back to see him, but he kept his face hidden in her shoulder. The boy gripped her jacket tighter and shook his head in response to her question. "Okay, okay Fuuta, listen to me. You need to get out. Bianchi is taking you home. Tell my mom that Yamamoto and Gokudera got hurt and I'm with them, I'll be home as soon as possible"

"But-

"Go" She ordered him, grabbing his shoulders to untangle him from his grip on her as she tried to peek into his eyes, but to no avail.

"You're coming back too" He muttered, biting his lip. Tsuna tilted her head and patted him gently on the head, feeling her fingers tingle as if she was touching something harmful. She frowned, at her side, Reborn turned to look at them.

"Of course. Now go" She pushed him towards the exit on the right, a clear path with no guards for him to escape.

"Tsuna?" Fuuta said with a slight tremor in his flat toned voice "Thank you for coming"

There was a glinting of metal.

Tsuna stood wide-eyed as her hand shot up and stopped his hand with raw instincts and fast reflexes. Her mind wasn't even aware of what was happening until she blinked and looked down to see the little boy holding a sharp trident intending to stab her and her fingers wrapped tightly over it to stop it from moving.

Her heart was pounding like mad and her shoulders refused to relax as she stared at the alien expression on the boy's face. His eyes that had refused to meet hers were looking at her with mirth, the red-eye on his face was looking at her with challenge and provocation.

Reborn quickly jumped over Fuuta's head and hit his neck swiftly when the brunette remained frozen in her spot. She managed to grab his falling form and held him closer as his body felt limp.

"Fuuta!"

"He's unconscious" Reborn reassured her.

"Was he really...?" She couldn't even finish the sentence, dread and horror slipping into her eyes as she stared at the tiny boy sleeping peacefully in her arms. She knew it wasn't really Fuuta who was in motion, but she couldn't help but to feel hurt by the action, feel the adrenaline and betrayal more than anything. But who was she to talk?

"He was possessed. The Mafia is a tricky thing, Tsuna. You need to rely on your intuition when someone has double motives around you"

She cradled him closer and breathed out, her shoulders sagged only to tense again and made her arms grip Fuuta's tighter.

"Someone's here…" She whispered in shock, turning quickly along Reborn's stare to look at the man walking towards them. For someone carrying a massive chained ball in his leg, he sure made it look easy.

"I wasn't expecting you to make it this far" He said with no malice in his voice, but his eyes were hard and cold and his stance showed hostility "But no matter. You're here now, it's time to end this pointless struggle. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Rokudo Mukuro"

"Where is he?" She blurted out, and Reborn dedicated her a sidelong glance without taking his eyes from the dangerous man in front of them.

"The schoolboy was vicious, but no match for me"

"Mukuro, where is he?" She asked again, totally ignoring his talk and Reborn's now tensed stance.

"I am-

"You're not" She stated the fact with wide eyes, lips not realizing they were blurting words till they were out "He's keeping you captive, isn't he?"

"He is-

Whatever he was about to say was stopped by an overwhelming spike of pain. He grunted and stumbled over and Tsuna wanted nothing more than to pat him on the back to lessen the pain despite the man being her not-so-enemy at the moment.

"It seems they want you to keep quiet" Reborn noted aloud while internally keeping track of the brunette's hyper intuition. His records were wrong, Nono's information too. This man was clearly not Mukuro and the brunette was aware of that. How odd and fascinating.

Tsuna placed Fuuta on the ground gently and stood up, she didn't want to fight if she could get out of this mess with words and conversation. This man was already doing things against his will, just like Fuuta almost did. Just like she was being forced too.

"It's alright. It's alright, I'm not going to fight you" She told him, raising her hands to show her intentions.

"But you have too. If you want your friends to survive, you must fight me"

"I'm not! Listen to me! Is Mukuro listening too?" She took a step forward "I'm not going to fight!"

He raised the wrecking ball attached to the chain in his foot, the sight alone made her eyes stung by the tragic poetry it represented. It wasn't a law punishment that chained that thing to his body, but the self-hate of carrying the weight of his sin, some of which he did not commit.

"Then you'll die"

"Not if my student defeats you. We do need to move on schedule"

Red-hot warnings flared in her head, and she turned wide-eyed to the hitman who was preparing his magical bullet into a normal gun.

"Dame-Tsuna, fight and survive"

"No, wait, Reborn don't!-

Nothing.

There was nothing, just a numbing sensation buzzing in her mind and blocking her senses. She felt alienated in her own body, like a stranger watching from someone else's eyes. Her body moved on its own, it got hurt and struggled in an intense match, it was dragged over the floor and hit by the wrecking ball a few times, but there was no flare of pain as it happened.

Like a ghost possessing someone, only that it was her own body doing the possession. Her limbs remembered every move and pull they did, but her mind felt absolutely nothing.

Just fire licking her veins.

She breathed out a soundless whisper and blinked the blurriness from her eyes, as sound started to seep into her ears and tingly sensations crawled on her skin. Her body ached from strain muscles and blooming bruises. Her bones cracked as she moved her legs from her kneeling position by the powerful hits and rough landings they took.

The room had become a battlefield, was the first thing she noted. With burnt marks and tents all around the ground and walls. She looked around with weariness until her eyes landed on a figure laying a couple of meters away from. Breathing, but beaten.

She just defeated this man and she didn't even remember. Only that she did, but wasn't really present in the action.

"What's your name?" She heard herself ask in a whisper.

"Lancia" Was the hoarse response, and she felt kind of bad at knowing she caused him pain when it was clear neither of them wanted to fight. He incorporated himself slowly, with one hand holding his ribs and the other one on the floor to ground himself.

"Lancia… I'm Tsuna. Nice to meet you"

Perhaps he saw something familiar in her wide-sacred eyes, for he knew what it was to be a puppet in your own body too. He nodded at her in acknowledgement and frowned as he turned to look at the entrance from where he came from.

"You don't have much time, Vongola. There are orders to inject poison to your allies. You need to stop Mukuro"

"We'll take care of that" Reborn said, gaining the attention of the brunette since she woke up from the trance. She turned to look at the hitman, who had cautiously moved Fuuta's unconscious body away from any harm's way and was now holding the sphere-Leon who was in a state of glowing.

She then noted the lack of warmth and looked down at herself. The jacket Dino had gifted her was gone, in its place stood a burnt-out tattered material that was barely holding on. Well at least she kept her other clothes, she thought grimly as she sadly removed the ruined gift with stiff fingers.

"Lancia, if you swear an oath, Tsuna can take you into her Famiglia" Reborn’s offer snapped her out and made her shout in bewilderment.

"Wait! Reborn-

"Thank you, but I won't bother you" Lancia reassured the brunette with a tiny smile, and Reborn merely tilted his fedora by his answer. Both were surprised, however, when Lancia tumbled over, grimacing in pain as his puppet master tried to sabotage his body once more.

"Lancia!" The brunette sprang to her feet, an action that made her stumble over dizziness.

"Stand back" Lancia grunted "I can hold him back now, but you have to… you need to go"

"We have to move, Tsuna" Reborn said at her side.

"We can't leave him here!"

"You need to take Fuuta to safety first" Tsuna was starting to feel like trash by how she was just abandoning people despite her head screaming it was for the best.

"Miss Tsuna… go" Lancia told her with resolute eyes. He would not surrender, those eyes told her. She gulped and looked down, her nose scrunching up in distaste of the situation as she gave a little nod.

With heavy legs, she crawled towards Fuuta's unconscious body and grabbed him in her arms. Slowly and with so much care, she stood up with her arms around him and walked towards the exit. Her eyes trembled as she kept her stare to the front, bypassing Lancia's body and promising to set things right in her head.

They reach the outside of the building, a park filled with empty benches, trees and a destroyed playground by the age and decay. Their path was to go forward, deep into the woods where a barely visible path led to another beaten down building.

Tsuna placed Fuuta gently over one of the benches and leaned down heavily, her body begging her to rest but her mind keeping her awake.

"We can't leave him here…" She whispered, her fingers trembling as she tried to feel the pulse of the boy. It was weak, but it was there.

"I have some people doing collateral damage. They can't interfere in battles, but they will make sure Fuuta is okay. Bianchi will be here soon too" Reborn reassured her from his place over the top of the bench, his hands holding onto Leon as the glowing ball was their only source of light at the moment.

"And Lancia?" She tasted something bitter in her mouth, and her head tilted down as her body gave in and fell towards the wooden seat.

"I will speak with Nono. They have accused the wrong man, after all"

Tsuna nodded silently, her gaze still over Fuuta and her trembling fingers.

"Reborn… I can't feel my hands"

"Nothing's broken, can you breathe alright?"

Was she even breathing or was she still a ghost in another body? She blinked tiredly as the bench started to dissolve into dust.

"Dame-Tsuna?" The hitman insisted, but his voice sounded far-away.

"I don't feel good…" She whispered, curling into herself as the world around her shifted and crumbled. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her reality still while her thoughts stopped racing.

When she opened them, it was to find herself in a different time and completely alone. The sun was up and Fuuta and Reborn were gone. She stayed a minute in silence, contemplating the now illuminated park before dread started to settle in.

"Reborn?" She untangled herself from the bench and looked around warily. There was something wrong, something really wrong with this view. She could feel the hitman was near but at the same time, gone.

"Reborn?!" If he was hiding from her and using this as a joke or training, she swore she would kick him out of her room. With a real kick.

As if somehow reading her thoughts, a strong invisible blow in the back of her head made her stumbled forward. She didn't need to see beyond the sunshine painted world to know it was the action of the baby hitman.

"Fuck you!" She screamed in hate and anguish, in fear and agitation.

Her eyes kept stinging with tears, but she swallowed them. This wasn't the time to cry, not when everyone was depending on her. Releasing a frustrated scream into her hands, she stood up slowly and looked ahead.

The path was visible now, a lined rocky road leading to a beaten-down building. She had to go there, by herself. That thought alone scared her to the core, but staying here was far more dangerous than venturing into the unknown.

A mantra kept going on inside her mind since she first stepped foot in Kokuyo Land. It was the whisper of a madman, but the words and promises of reassurance were her consolation and driving force through all this turmoil.

_Yamamoto was going to be okay. Bianchi was going to be okay. Gokudera was going to be alright. Fuuta was going to be fine. Kyoya was going to be alive. And Tsuna-_

She started to walk.

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was hard and arduous and he was sure he had a broken finger but he succeeded. There were empty dynamites and needles scattered all around the floor. His battered body leaned against the wall as he panted and breathed heavily, his already injured body screamed in strain and pain, but this was nothing. There was a kind of satisfaction in this battle, in knowing that he won a fight to protect someone he cared about and not a nameless street fight with no value.

Gokudera could feel pride in that.

Chikusa wasn't dead, just unconscious. Somehow he got the feeling Juudaime didn't like killing if unnecessary and would like to solve any problem without much bloodshed. So he gave himself a well earned mentally pat on the back. Now to find Juudaime and stop these bastards from causing terror to her peaceful life.

"Woah, you won!" A voice happily chirped next to him, and he felt no guilt by the strong punch he delivered to the baseball idiot despite his exclamation of pain.

"What the hell idiot!? Don't suddenly creep up to someone! Why the hell are you here?!"

"Well, I won too! So I went looking for you guys!" Yamamoto rubbed his arm where the punch had landed, and the bomber could see it was injured and wrapped in a home-made cast with the idiot's former jacket. A broken arm that only just recovered got hurt again, he could feel slight pity at that.

"Where's Tsuna?"

"She went ahead" Gokudera straighten himself and started to walk despite the heaviness in his legs "If you're not going to be a dead weight, let's move"

"Aren't you going to ask how I did?" Yamamoto kept stride with him.

"No"

"It was awesome! This guy could act like many animals and he even bit me! See? He left marks! But I manage to knock him out with a sweet swing- and homerun! It was so cool! Man, I miss baseball but this game is fun too! It sure keeps me on my toes"

"Did you see my sister?" Gokudera suddenly asked after ignoring his fighting story tale. If the idiot crossed all the way till here, he must have crossed paths with her. Not that he was worried, he was just curious.

"Huh? Oh, I think so?"

"You're useless"

"Hey, wait up!"

As they venture further, both wearing a light step despite their injuries for the simple fact they won a fight they had previously lost, a fight that held the life of the brunette at stake. They were tired and injured but their adrenaline and will to protect kept them going.

So high in their feelings, they were unaware they were walking into another trap.

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was silent, dark and gloomy.

Inwardly, she was thankful she wasn't a fan of jump-scare movies and hadn't watched much of them, so she didn't do more than flinch and hold her breath when the flutter of wings or little clang sounds echoed on the abandoned building.

Her insides were twisting with every step and if she stopped, she was scared she would puke by the stress of the situation. Nevermind that her nerves were crisping her skin till goosebumps appeared and chills were coursing down her back.

She couldn't feel the presence of Reborn, but she hoped -knew- he was somewhere around. Ready to unleash chaos at her misfortune.

Her heart pounded strongly on par with her throbbing head. This migraine was worrisome, it hadn't hurt this bad before and she was too young to have such symptoms. Added the dizziness, sleepless nights and voices in her head… it really was worrying.

Tsuna stopped her ponder as she came across a hallway leading to a closed door.

Gulping and with nowhere else to go, she walked slowly towards it. She kept her eyes straight ahead, even if the walls started closing in and the floor seemed to stretch below her, she raised her trembling hand as shadows all around her danced and tried to swallow her.

She held her breath and opened the door.

All she could **remember** was a _red light_ before her **world** surrendered to the **_darkness_ **.

**·**

*****

**·**

Both guys watched incredulously and with confusion as the door opened, revealing the tattered figure of the guest of honour, yet before any words of pleasantries or threats could be made, she fainted.

"Oya, that went easy" Mukuro commented in slight surprise as he stood up to walk towards the fallen girl.

"Get away from her" Hibari snarled violently, but his restraints pulled him down.

"Is she perhaps important to you? You wouldn't mind if I have a talk with her, do you?" The illusionist ignored the fuming boy as he went to pick the unconscious girl and placed her down on the couch, one finger cautiously tracing her soft face in wonder.

He leaned down, his red eye changing in form just in time as the brunette clenched her eyes before opening them slowly. She had the same eyes as that day, hazel with a hint of gold and a hue of orange, a pretty combination that shone with distress and confusion. And through their fight with Lancia, he was able to see those orbs turn full sunset in colour. Yet they were lacking something, a kind of spark he thrived to see.

Tsuna let her sight adjust to her new environment, her mind already supplying her that this wasn't a dream but rather a reality that wasn't real before she could even process what was happening. Her body felt numb yet accepted the comfortable material it was lying in, as her head rolled to the side in confusion.

She was able to see a beautiful garden surrounding her, white lilies and magnolias and lemon trees around a lake. It truly was a peaceful sight, and any other dream she would appreciate it long enough to want to paint it. But not today, at that moment, she only had eyes for the guy with the lazy smirk hovering above her.

And he stared back, taking in the sight of her waking up and staring at him despite the wonderland he created from slight wisps from her mind. And what a chaotic mind it was, he couldn't wait to possess it and dig out every thought and secret for him to own.

"What are you doing, Rokudo Mukuro?" She asked in a soft voice. There was neither panic nor fear in her eyes, no struggle in her stance as she continued to lay there.

"Oya, what makes you sure that I'm the one?" He asked in amusement, though he was sure she already knew. How she figured that out was another mystery to unravel.

"Because I know who you are"

"Really now. You sure?" He teased her as he leaned even more.

"Positive" She frowned at him and his closeness.

"Kufufu, how amusing" He trailed his finger over a strand of hair and twirl it around "I almost laughed when I heard the next head for Vongola was a kid, I had to see that for myself. Imagine my surprise when I found you. Such a beauty… full of faith and power, but there is something in you that made my heart flutter _"_

"And what's that?"

"Darkness, hatred and passion"

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you. I want your power over the mafia. Your body is a wonderful plus"

Tsuna hummed, and slowly, beneath the mismatched stare, she raised her arms little by little until they wrapped themselves around his neck to pull him closer.

"Power? To rule?" She asked in a soft voice, her half-lidded eyes glowing with a newfound light.

"To destroy" He purrs.

"I like the sound of that"

"I like the look in your eyes"

"Good. There's only one problem… my body is not for share"

Tsuna hit him as hard as she could with her head, foreheads colliding in a strong impact that forced Mukuro to break the illusion by pain and surprise. Stumbling back by the force his skull received, he barely had the time to avoid a violent strike.

Tsuna was nursing a killer headache, already regretting her express plan and cursing but mentally thanking Bianchi for her -not/seductive- tips in those types of situations. She cracked an eye open, and the next thing she knew, Kyoya was looming sideways over her, a stance so protectively just as possessive, like a wolf standing over the carcasses of his dinner, unwilling to share. The glare in his eyes was that of a starving predator, wanting to draw blood.

"Kyoya! You're okay!"

Tsuna managed to sit in surprise when he jumped over her, her hands reaching out to clench tightly the white red-stained shirt. Oh, his uniform was ruined, he’s going to be so mad about it. Kyoya merely gave her a stinky look from over his shoulder, before dismissing her and focused his heated anger towards the other boy in the room.

Yeah, definitely mad.

"Kufufu, how intriguing. You're a cruel lady, Sawada Tsunayuuki"

"What is your plan? Why hurt people to seek me?"

"Would you've come to me on your own, a murderer, without knowing my reason?"

"Maybe"

He looked at her with intrigue, his mismatched eyes glowing with mischievous intentions. She could feel shivers in her skin at being in the direct line of that hungry stare.

"Don't patronise him" Kyoya growled at her, yet didn't call her out for the nails digging into the back of his shirt. His glare never once left the pineapple-head who looked on amusement and twirled a metal trident in one hand.

"Can you still stand, birdy?" Mukuro mocked him with ease, gaining a vicious snarl from the boy protecting her.

And Tsuna gaped at him like he was either overconfident or plain stupid because at this moment, she was literally holding back the school's prefect from committing bloody murder.

"We can end this if you surrender to me" Mukuro drawled in a silk voice. His red-eye glowing and changing in number.

"I'm not giving my body to you" She couldn't possibly understand where the confidence to stand up to that mismatched stare was coming from, but she embraced it full force.

"Then, will you show me those eyes again?" He blinked and Tsuna tensed.

"Move!" She screamed, grabbing Kyoya's arm to turn him away from the sudden rain of rocks that showered over them. He was one second behind her, having turned her body from harm's way and rolling on the floor, avoiding vines that sprung from the walls and stretched towards them.

He tugged her roughly to stand up and pushed her to the side as another wall of vines grew under them. Tsuna grunted at the harsh treatment and stumbled over, running and jumping around as the vines tried to corner her to a wall. She stopped dead in tracks when a sudden wall of fire appeared in front of her.

"It's not real. It's not real." She shook her head and tried to back away but another glacier of hot embers sprung behind her, and she flinched when the heat touched her skin "Oh shit, it's real!"

"Focus!" Kyoya snarled, having grabbed both of his tonfas and beating the vines that tried to apprehend him again.

"I'm having a mental breakdown, shut up!"

"Kufufu, how enjoyable. Pity we can't keep the charade for long"

"Kyoya move!"

Mukuro was already fighting him by the time Tsuna turned her head, and she watched them battle with harsh hits and furious blows. They were too fast for her, even if the prefect was injured he was fighting like never before. And someone actually wanted her to fight too? Like this? Against that?

She could feel her knees wobble at the thought, and even if there was an intense combat in front of her, she kept her guard up as the fire caging her lowered and a dark mist grew behind her. She could feel her neck prickling by the sensation of someone breathing behind her, even if there was no one there.

"Why do you want to destroy the Mafia?" She asked quietly, eyes watching as both boys bite out harsh words to each other.

"Greedy pigs deserve to die, they're nothing but filth and pollution to this world" His voice whispered in the same quiet tone as her, as if they were keeping a secret only they could know. And she was so confused and oh so surprised for his ability to be in two places at once too.

She didn't try to move though, not when the vines were crawling at her feet and the floor bubbled with fire.

"I know what they did to you" She confessed, and it was a shot in the dark by the sudden spike of hate and rage in the air.

"You know nothing!" He snarled, all soothing dropping from his voice gone and replaced by something dark.

"I know what they did" She ground her feet and clenched her shaking hands "A-And I understand. But you're an idiot if you think you can get revenge by using my body!"

"You talk too much"

She dropped quickly to the ground, avoiding a sharp blade aimed at her neck. She watched in a millisecond with wide eyes as it was the same trident Fuuta tried to use on her. With breath hitching, she rolled over the vines and jumped as they reached out to grab her. Reborn's torturous training did gain some fruits, her body reacted fast and was agile as she made an escape. Who knew?

The dark heavy mist was all around them, coating the room in shadows and negative emotions and Tsuna was getting the urge to give up and cry, but if she did that, if she dared to stop, everything would be over. She might hate fights and confrontation, but she valued her life above everything else. And she wasn't going to waste it away.

She gritted her teeth to swallow a yell as one of the vines wrapped itself around her ankles and pulled her down. She hit her chin on the ground but quickly dug her nails to the floor as the vines dragged her backwards. She struggled and kicked as hard as she could, all while cursing for not having an available weapon to aid her.

Oh wait, there is one. She didn't steal it, Gokudera gave it to her weeks ago as a token of trust, whatever that meant and she put it inside her jeans pocket. Dirty pants she was wearing now, funny how you can remember the little things in the most precarious of situations.

She turned on the ground, praying that thing was still there while one hand searched her pocket and the other held onto one of the couch legs. She exclaimed in hysteric glee at having found it and quickly withdrew her arm, giving herself mental encouragement, she released her grip and the vines pulled her towards the mist. She used the friction of the rough floor to light the dynamite up.

It ignited with a quiet hiss, and she closed her eyes as she threw it behind her, her body curling into a ball as the blast took place near her feet. 

Miraculously, it worked. The vines retracted and gave her a moment to catch her breath. She knelt and looked up, both boys were unconcerned of her as they were locked into a push and pull situation. Hibari looked worse for wear, but Mukuro was porting a split lip so that was good progress.

She stood up quickly, only for her legs to buckle and fall over her knees again by the overwhelming stress and nerves her body was feeling. This wasn't good for her health, she bemoaned but swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth as she willed her body to move forward.

They needed to stay away from that trident, for whatever purpose he was planning to use it, getting scratched by it could be game over. She only hoped Kyoya hadn't been injured by that. The vines behind her came to life once again, and she sprung forward. Her head throbbed as an idea occurred to her. It was a scary and dangerous one, but it could be the perfect distraction.

"Switch!" She yelled as she jumped behind Kyoya, pushing him towards the direction of the vines and intercepting one of Mukuro's blows with wobbly arms. He was obviously toying with her, letting her dodge and block his attacks with ease for his own amusement. She glared at him, in defiance and fear but he merely smirked back and danced with her around the room.

"Trying to be the saviour?"

"Stop this madness!" Tsuna grunted, her bones aching and muscles straining for the force she was applying in keeping the other's hands away from range.

"Madness?" Mukuro tilted his head, his eyes gaining a dark tint in them as his lip curled in a frown "They took everything from me, I merely wish to do the world a favour"

"I-If you dare try to hurt innocents to get what you want, t-then I will stop you!"

She swore, like an innocent kid swearing on a dream. Her eyes glinted at that but he just pushed her and Tsuna fell as the back of her knees hit the edge of the couch, making her tumble down. She looked up in surprise, her lips parting in a gasp as she felt the trident near her throat and Mukuro looming over her once more.

"Kufufu, you foolish girl, you can't stop what's already begun"

Mukuro held his trident, locking eyes with hers as he moved his hand with intentions of drawing blood. There was a cold sensation washing over her as she was frozen in place by fright.

Tsuna could only watch wide-eyed as Kyoya suddenly knocked Mukuro's head to the side with his metal tonfa, and the illusionist collapsed like a broken doll, silent and unmoving.

"Oh my god, that hurt" Tsuna winced in sympathy at the violent strike, but Kyoya's fury had no qualms. The prefect was breathing harshly though, his skin sweaty and with a pinkish hue that was worrisome. Nevermind the injuries he ported, she couldn't help but to openly stare at him. This could probably be the first time she's ever seen him this hurt and anxious.

"Are you okay?"

"What are you doing here?" He glared at her as if she was stupid. Which, she was but he was the one who came here first, so he wasn't one to talk.

"S-Saving you?" She gripped the edge of the couch to calm her nerves when her shoulders refused to relax "I came to save Fuuta. Reborn and the Mafia made me fight. I didn't- Are you okay? Kyoya?"

She called when his expression turned sour and irritated as he kept his glare over the body of the fallen boy. If looks could kill, he would be shooting lasers and flames by the hostility his eyes emanated. Tsuna was used to his stubborn side, but now more than ever he needed to rest and treat his injuries. She only managed to grab hold of his ruined shirt when the doors were thrown open.

"Guys!" Tsuna stood up when Gokudera and Yamamoto walked into the room, bodies littered with wounds and bloodstains. Both silent and dragging their steps as they neared them, a certain shadow falling over their empty eyes.

"No" She whispered, shoulders sagging in dread as her head shook in confusion and denial. Kyoya gripped her arm and pushed her behind him, forcing her to take some steps back as he created distance and assessed the situation.

Gokudera had some dynamite and Yamamoto was wielding a broken metal pipe in his good hand. Their zombie-like states did nothing to stop their speed as they rushed in and attacked them.

"What the hell?!" Tsuna screamed, dragging Kyoya with her as she stumbled backwards. He grunted, and his honed reflexes made him block the pipe and kick Gokudera in the stomach while Tsuna stared with wide-eyes at the spot where Mukuro once laid.

"Kufufu. They are under my control now" A smooth voice full of mischief called from all around the room. "What would you prefer? To have them attack you or for you to fight them back?"

"Mukuro!" She growled to the air. If she was feeling foolish Kyoya was surely raging if the angry snarl at her side was anything to go by. Because fuck, he was never really here. How could they be so stupid? How did they miss it? Better yet, why didn't her head warn her? She felt stupid for depending on nameless feelings and crazy whispers now.

She was embarrassed and annoyed for falling for a dangerous trick and a bit discouraged at the turn of the situation. It was bad to feel empathy for a murderer but she couldn't help it. Her heart truly ached for him, knowing what she did. But he had to pull this trick now!

"You're evil" She spat as Kyoya manhandled her out of harm's way without actually releasing her. She did try to push Yamamoto, but the other didn't buckle. Now she just felt bad and in distress at not wanting to hurt them any further.

"I'm the bad guy" Mukuro stated with a dead tone of amusement that sent shivers down her spine. Her fingers twitched, and it was like the room had come alive. The walls started melting and the floor bubbled with lava. Those annoying vines sprung from all sides as the dark mist coated the space with coldness.

She gasped when she felt Kyoya's grip tightening, the other two attackers continued as if the drastic change of scenery was nothing. It was hard to focus on multiple targets while fearing for one's life. The vines sprung towards them, and she shrieked as she dodged them, thus bringing Kyoya with her, but he grounded his feet to block the metal pipe, leaving Gokudera in advantage on landing a hit on her face.

She grunted as she fell, releasing her grip on Kyoya as he used his now free arm to knock the bomber away from them. Oh, he was going to cry when he finds out, Tsuna thought in a daze because the indescribable feeling that everything would turn out okay was back.

She stood as quick as she could, her ribs and legs pestering her. One of her ankles throbbed in icy discomfort from where the previous vines had dragged her on the ground and at being in direct contact with the explosion that assured her escape. The fight with Lancia wasn't smooth either. Her arms felt heavy as she held Gokudera's wrists and tried to withstand his force to overthrow her while Kyoya was busy with Yamamoto.

She was never more grateful that the bomber had run out of dynamite.

Suddenly, Yamamoto's body crashed with the silver-haired boy, making Tsuna release him in surprise as they both crashed to the ground.

"Fight back" Kyoya glared at her, his chest heaving with soundless breaths.

"I'm not going to hurt them" Tsuna stressed, hating to leave him all the job but she just refused to do it. There must be some way to get them out of that trance, she was thinking hard as her fellow companions rose and wasted no seconds to attack again.

Her head turned when she saw movement however, those pesky vines heading her way once again. Her eyes locked beyond the mist where she knew Mukuro was hiding. Kyoya seemed to guess that too because he was trying his hardest to knock the other two without taking his eyes from it. Tsuna was faster though.

"Kyoya, switch!"

"Are you ordering me-

"Gokudera's injured and Yamamoto doesn't know how to fight! You're injured, switch!"

She pushed him towards the other two as she jumped over the vines and a wall of fire soon grew and put distance between the pair. She was acting without a script, her body moving before she was aware of what to do next, and by the time she caught up, her mind was already speeding ahead.

"Casting your guard dog aside? How arrogant" Mukuro materialized in front of her, trident in hand as if he was waiting for her.

"He's more like a hungry dragon" Tsuna murmured, bending her knees to diminish the backlash her legs would take once she moved.

This was the moment, she breathed. Everything she learnt from her babysitter all those years ago, everything she soaked from Kyoya and Ryohei, everything Reborn forced her to understand, this was the moment to apply it.

"Shall we dance?" Mukuro purred as he disappeared in a flash, and Tsuna let her body drop and roll when that trident swat where her head once stood. She choked on a gasp when she quickly got up, eyes trying hard to keep track of the boy who liked to dissolve into the air.

Crossing her arms in front of her face, she blocked another blow being directed at her neck, her teeth ground painfully at the strength of the attack and had to swallow the pain it brought along.

Mukuro was toying with her, humouring her as he let her dodge and block his trident whenever it got too close to her skin. Her long-sleeved shirt gave little to no protection, for Tsuna could feel the sharpness of the blade with it just being centimetres away from her skin. It still hurt though, not even Reborn's or Kyoya's hits ached this bad.

If she loses… will she become another puppet? The mere idea repulsed her.

Her self-perseveration was perhaps fuelling her adrenaline in making her body stand this long, but how far can she continue standing the harsh beatings? How much more can she last without getting gravely injured or worse?

From her peripheral vision, she was able to distinguish someone falling to the ground, Gokudera probably. Puppet-Yamamoto was still fighting a weaker Kyoya, but for how long? Kyoya wasn't as invincible as he liked to believe. And all the mindless moving was just aggravating Yamamoto's injuries.

"You want me right? D-Don't drag anyone else. Just me and you" She tried to reason with Mukuro. Naively thinking that maybe they could talk things through and get into some sort of agreement.

"You and I" he drawled, raising an eyebrow and kicking her in the stomach.

Air left her as she stumbled backwards, falling hard on her bottom. There were stones digging in her palms as she crawled backwards, trying to stand up but Mukuro kept hunting her. It would be pointless to try and kick his legs, that could get her a trident in the gut.

"Why do you keep resisting?" He asked while looking down at her "It's a futile attempt to try. Your friends can die, I can kill them whenever I want if you don't surrender"

"I'm not…" She gritted out, glaring at him. "Never"

"Kufufu, you can try. But you will just dwell in the inevitable"

Luck, it was just pure rotten luck. She managed to roll to the side, almost twisting her neck in the process, but the momentum gave her the time to stand up just in time as the trident descended. But before she could even catch her breath, the vines that had previously antagonised her, wrapped themselves around her. She cursed, but her hands shot out by inertia to stop another fatal blow.

"You are weak, inexperienced and unambitious" The words pierced her hard, but her grip didn't falter despite the trembling in her arms.

"And you still want my b-body"

"I can turn your body into a weapon. With my mind and your power, I will use your Vongola blood to control the Mafia to my will"

"I w-wont- I will stop you if I have too!" She shouted.

"That'll be entertaining to see"

He tugged his hands back, making the brunette release her grip and stare wide-eyed at her impending doom.

Everything seemed like in slow motion. Tsuna could perfectly see how Mukuro's red-eye changed in number and glowed in a dangerous light. How his trident glinted and descended upon her. She could feel the vines disintegrating from her body, but she was frozen in place. Her mind was screaming at her to move, but for the first time since this whole mess started, her body refused to budge.

Her breath left her and then Kyoya shoved her to the side.

She fell to the ground, arms barely able to pillow her face at the brute and unexpected force her body received. She laid there for a few seconds, eyes clenched shut as nausea kept her head spinning. Weakly, she tried to stand but it was as if an invisible boulder was over her back. She only had the energy to move her head to the side and blinked her eyes open.

She could only watch in astonishment and helplessness as Kyoya was in a lockdown battle again.

How was he still standing? How the fuck was he still able to fight despite his injuries. He was at the brink of collapsing, it didn't matter if Gokudera and Yamamoto were slower and sluggish, Mukuro still had the advantage and Kyoya was paying the price.

Her eyes stung in impotence and exhaustion, even now she still needed to be saved. How many people will get hurt because of her? How many more will fall on her expense? She hated it. She loathed how powerless she felt, how weak she was.

There was a shift in the air accompanied by footsteps approaching that made a tingle sensation crawl on her back, but she remained on the ground staring at the fight in a daze. It wasn't until she recognized the figure beside her that she gained some control over her reality, if she could even call it that anymore.

"Tsuna!" A squeaky voice called at her side, and Tsuna snapped her head up to stare at Reborn with bewilderment and suspicious. After what happened, she wouldn't be surprised if this was another mind game and the baby hitman was the personification of death coming for her. Despite that, seeing him made her heart feel a bit relieved.

"Where were you?!"

"Mist flames. They are capable of wrapping reality and bend it to their will. There are few who can create real solid illusions"

"And you share this information now?!" She screeched in hysterics, not caring if she was screaming at an illusion.

"Shut up Dame-Tsuna!" The hitman kicked her head, making her tumble back to the ground. Okay, he was real.

"O-Oh my god" She choked on her nerves and the dust from the ground.

"I was always with you. Good thinking on the dynamite. Gokudera will be happy to know"

"How do we save them?" She asked in desperation as she alternated her stare between the fight and the hitman "R-Reborn we have to save them!"

"You must decide now dame-Tsuna"

"I'm not..." She gritted her teeth as she tried to stand, but her legs refused to move and her arms collapsed on her.

"You need to stand up and fight" The hitman told her "Oh, that's right. Leon finally woke up. Congratulations"

"Mittens, you're giving me mittens?!" Tsuna was far gone in her hysteria by now, as she stared at the woollen gloves in hopeless incredulity.

"Be grateful brat, Leon made them especially for you" Said lizard stung his tongue out where he was flattened at the hitman's shoulder. She tried to smile at that, but it came out as an ugly grimace.

A loud thud brought her attention back to the fight, Yamamoto fell unconscious and now it was just Mukuro vs. Kyoya. But for how long? She's always believed in Kyoya's stubbornness more than his strength, but seeing him this injured actually broke her heart.

She moved her legs and somehow managed to collapse on her knees while gripping the woollen gloves with stiff fingers. They were soft and warm, like a security blanket that could shield you from the childish horrors at night. The number 27 stood out from the clean material. Some long ago, she remembered playing with her name and turning it into a numerical code for secret purposes. How ironic for Leon to bring it up.

Her fingers trembled, and she held onto the mittens before slipping them in, as if the action of hiding her fears would make the situation better.

"Stop" She whispered as she watched the scene unfold.

"J-Juuda-

A hoarse barely whisper called from somewhere around the room, and Tsuna snapped her head so fast to the fallen figure of the bomber.

"Gokudera!"

"Oya? Still awake?" Mukuro tilted his head while blocking one of Kyoya's vicious attacks. The vines grabbed both boys and hung them against the walls, preventing them from even moving if they woke up.

"Mukuro, stop this!"

"I will not stop! Not until the Mafia pays for what it's done" Saying this, he managed to knock Kyoyai to the ground, only for said boy to stand up again.

"Revenge" Reborn concluded. He had done a deeper investigation while his student was busy in the other reality. The boy had killed multiple mafia famiglias and although the reasons were not mentioned, Reborn, as a professional hitman, could already guess what had ignited such hate and hostility by the mere sight of that red eye.

"What do I do?" Tsuna whispered at his side "Reborn, what do I do?"

Yamamoto and Gokudera were down and Kyoya was barely standing at this point. One way or another, Tsuna was next. But if she falls, then everyone else was doomed. To have such responsibility on her shoulders was horrible and nerve-wracking.

"Do you want to save them? Tsuna"

"I… I don't want to fight, but I want to h-help them. How? I don't…" Tears of frustration were rolling down her face. And it was so pathetic, deep down she was sure the hitman would scold and tease her for being a crybaby in a grave situation but she couldn't help it anymore. The anxiety and fear were overwhelming her.

"Sometimes, a fight is inevitable in life. But so long as you fight with the Will to protect what you consider to be worth, you'll succeed"

"B-but I can't do it"

"Why's that?" He was humouring her, but her mind wasn't relaying that information at the moment. It was busy staring at the fight and whispering sweet nothings in her mind. The time was coming, _time for what?_ She must claim her fate, _claim?_ She needed power.

"I'm not strong" She confessed in a whisper "I can't do it"

"Then why are you still here?"

She gasped as her eyes glinted in realization. She was still alive. She was fighting, barely surviving to protect innocent people, what little peace she managed to build on her own with people that cared truly for her. She was still here because she wanted to live. Just that. Live and enjoy life with every little wonder it could offer.

To prove she wasn't the same little girl who couldn't do anything without messing it up. She wanted to prove to no one but herself that she could and would succeed in everything she wanted.

Once upon a time, she wanted to be a hitman. Not the heartless type that took missions to assassinate people for money, but the one that could save and protect others. Perhaps she misread some words when she read the book that introduced the idea to her head, but that dream never left her.

Then not so long ago, a baby hitman came knocking at her door. What should have been a dream come true turned out to be a fight against her will. She hated it so much but at the same time was grateful for she was learning so much yet knew so little. She wanted to live to learn and experience and grow. She was fighting because she was tired of staying on the ground doing nothing but stare.

"What do you want, Tsuna?"

"I want to win!" She exclaimed with orange eyes.

"Then do it with your dying will" Reborn smirked as he raised his hand, letting his stubborn partner do as he wishes as Leon used his last energy of the night to transform into a familiar green gun.

Tsuna accepted the bullet this time, the force knocking her weak body to the ground. Accepting and cementing her Will to live and protect those who needed saving.

"It's Hyper-Will time" The hitman watched expectantly as his student grew an inch as a person. Accepting one's weakness and wanting to overthrow them was the right path to become stronger and Tsuna just did that while in a difficult situation.

There was no warning nor grandiose entrance, one moment the brunette was down, the next one she was standing proud.

Her lips released a silent sigh as a fire crown bloomed in her forehead, signalling not only her status as Vongola but also, the resolve of her Will. The moment she opened her orange eyes, it was like an invisible warm wave shot out and enclosed the room, making the furniture shake and windows to rattle.

She was gone and in a second, she punched Mukuro in the face. Surprised and unexpected, he was sent flying towards the wall. The vines and every illusion that remained were shattered as soon as the wavelength of lukewarm flames surrounded the area, showering everything and everyone with heated energy.

"Wao" Kyoya couldn't help but marvel that sight with curiosity.

"Kufufu, so now you reveal your true colours, Vongola. How arrogant of you" Mukuro stood up brushing the dirt from his clothes and looked at her with intrigue and hunger, a smirk appearing on his face while his eyes held a curiosity he wanted to sate "How curious"

"Curious?" Reborn asked, though he was forbidden to mess with his student mission, he had no qualms over interrogating and getting more information. Mukuro didn't even look his way despite knowing the danger he posed, he ignored him while the brunette held his absolute attention.

"You say you will stop my evil ways. If so, why are you crying?"

They all turned to see the brunette standing by herself in the middle of the room. Tsuna was staring down at the leather gloves the soft mittens had become, but most importantly, she was staring down at the orange flames lighted in them. There were silent tears rolling down her expressionless face, but her eyes reflected a faraway look on them. Nostalgic and painful, because how many times has she dreamed of this?

How many times did she burn her fingers in the fire of the kitchen trying so hard to wield a power that was not befitting to her? And yet it was. And yet it wasn't.

"Get a hold of yourself dame-Tsuna!" Reborn snapped at her.

And she clenched her hands, the leather gloves moved in perfect fit with the action. With this strength, she swore on her Will to protect those who needed saving. She was done being useless, right here and now she had the power to win and live.

She and Mukuro met with blocked attacks and a flurry of blows as they dodge and swung weapons and fists. With newfound experience as if being guided by an invisible force, the brunette held her own against him with ease. She didn't stick with one pattern, attacking and moving instinctively, she managed to land some hits while avoiding getting slashed by his trident.

It was like she was a different person, moves no longer hesitated or desperate. She was calm and confident, silent and graceful in her moves and attacks.

As the fight kept on, Mukuro could feel a pull and hunger of wanting to possess those flames for himself. But something more, a yearning. He wanted the brunette's power over the Mafia, yes.

But even without knowing her real blood, ever since he saw those sunset eyes on that misty morning, he found himself craving for that sight again. And now, feeling that heated orange glare upon him and tasting the flames licking over his skin, he was sure. He wanted to possess her.

His red-eye glinted and lava erupted from the ground below her. Tsuna dodged using the flames in her hands to impulse her speed, the crown-fire in her head leaving an orange line behind as she moved quickly over the lava.

Reborn was keeping a hawkeye over every move, ready to step in if so were the case, but the brunette was doing more than fine. She finally learned to fight without sticking to a pattern and even better, she seemed to somehow predict Mukuro's movements without even realizing it. Seemed like the Vongola intuition was working better than he thought.

He saw movement beside him, seemed like the boy got bored of staying still.

"Wait, Hibari" Reborn stopped him before he could step into the fight again.

"You can't bench me, baby" He growled, tired, sweaty and bloody yet he still had the strength to glare. What a brat.

"I won't. But this is Tsuna's fight. You too wish to see her grow, don't you?"

That glare felt heavier and slightly murderous, was this his way of showing embarrassment? The hitman thought with amusement.

"You owe me" Hibari growled and crossed one arm over his ribs while resting against the wall. That reminded Reborn of the apparent life-debt this boy owned his student. The how and why remained a mystery to unravel, but that can be left for tomorrow. If he noted how the boy leaned against his right foot and titled his head down without lifting his eyes from the fight, he didn't comment.

"Is that… T-Tsuna?" A hoarse voice called in surprise and that made Reborn turn to see Yamamoto slowly incorporating himself with his good arm, the other one remained limp at his side, broken again. He will have to talk with Shamal to arrange a physical therapy for him. And a psychologist too. All these kids seemed to suffer some kind of trauma, what gives. Perhaps that's why they flocked together.

A loud boom shook the room, a wall having exploded by the heat of the lava the brunette had dodged. Who was he kidding, the reason they were being lured together was currently showcasing unleashed Sky flames.

"You're awake" Reborn nodded at him, and turned back to the fight.

"Y-Yeah" He was breathless, assessing the situation of his injuries, of Gokudera beaten form beside him, of Hibari's bloody mess by the wall and of Tsuna wielding fire in her fists as she punched a guy with a pineapple-shaped hair.

Mukuro licked the trail of blood from his lip, and let out a breath that mixed with a laugh. Tsuna was panting in front of him, silently looking for a way to win. The glow from the flames brought an unnatural light to her face, it only made her eyes appear to glow on their own.

It's unfair how some people fight to get what they want while others get it handed on a silver plate. If no one was willing to get justice on the already dark world, why were they so adamant on stopping him? Vongola was rotten, and if the brunette had any common sense she should have run instead of wasting her Will on them.

She claims to know what they did to him, so why was she fighting for their side?

"I'm not fighting for them, I'm fighting _for you_ "

There was no anger in her eyes.

Startled, he barely dodged a flaming fist diving to his head. Having ducked down, he twirled his trident and swept it over the brunette's legs. As expected, she jumped over it and he created a torrent of rocks falling down on her.

The brunette didn't even flinch when they fell on her, having seen it as an illusion, but she didn't expect him to materialize behind her and kick her hard, an action that managed to bring her to her knees. She grunted and turned around to stop the trident from descending on her. She gritted her teeth and pushed back, standing through force and launching one kick forward as Mukuro tried to punch her. They were locked in a struggle, neither one willing to back down.

But they had to at some point, with Mukuro gaining the upper hand and throwing Tsuna to the side. She slid against the floor, kneeling down and looked up at him, ready for his next move. How annoying.

"You really are something" He muttered as he brought a hand to his cursed eye and dug painfully into it.

"What are you-

Tsuna gaped at him when blood rolled down his eye, and Mukuro took with gleeful satisfaction that he brought an emotion to that expressionless face.

She barely had time to dodge, some loose strands of her hair floated down to the ground where the trident had cut them. She had just stood up, but Mukuro was in front of her, forcing her to dodge, again and again, not giving her a break to breathe.

He was stronger, faster and tainted than before. His illusions hurt despite knowing they weren't real, and his punches stung hard. His previous fight held resentment and curiosity, but now it was just blatant desperation and frustration. He was falling, she frowned at that. That glare told her everything, he was letting hate consume him.

In a moment of respire, he managed to grab her wrists and threw her with surprising force towards a section with a broken wall. By the light of the moon gleaming through the hole they created earlier, it lighted a sharp glint stuck in the middle of the rocks.

"Juudaime, watch out!" Gokudera yelled, making Yamamoto jump in surprise because he didn't feel him woke up. The bomber was tense and desperate, obviously willing his body to move but it couldn't. He could only watch as Tsuna fought, they both were.

She was sent flying towards that object, a hidden trident behind the rubble. What a smart and cheap trick.

But as she flew, Tsuna placed her hands behind her back and released a huge amount of Sky flames, coming into close contact with the concrete but they didn't harm the wall. Quite the contrary, the flames were used as a pillow to stop her momentum before her back plunged into the hidden weapon. Her wide eyes stared at Mukuro, even if the point of the trident was biting her shirt.

Reborn stared in wonder, the instinctual reaction was fast and precise as if she had been wielding the flames for years and knew exactly what to do with them. But this was no time to marvel, both Tsuna and Mukuro knew they needed to finish this before the other consumed them.

She breathed out and glared at him, clenching in her hands and letting her flames blaze.

"This flames...If your hate has blinded you, then I will light your way!"

She would have cringed at the corny thing she just said, but she couldn't. She couldn't feel anything, not fear or shame. No anxiety or distress. It was just raw power, soothing her mind and calming her heart. It felt right and dreadful at the same time.

That feeling, it was singing in her head. Whispering softly exactly what to do without knowing how. Mukuro snarled and rushed towards her when she jumped from the wall, taking impulse by the flames she had created.

There was lava forming on the ground and vines reaching out for her through the sides. It seemed like Mukuro was intended to go all-out and take her out. She frowned mid-air, still hesitant to hurt him despite the hell he put everyone else.

When they were in reach, she grabbed the hand holding his trident and gripped it tightly, letting her flame heat the metal enough for the other boy to loosen his grip. He kicked her in the guts, but she withstood until the trident fell.

She kicked it to the side, gaining another hit on her bruised body. She then released her grip and rolled over the side, dodging the vines that crashed where she once stood. Not even pausing to catch her breath, she ran as fast as her legs could take her and jumped, her flames pumping enough speed to reach him before he stepped closer.

The force between them clashed and made them fly backwards, through the broken wall and out into the night.

Mid-air, she grabbed his head and pushed him down as they fell through the grass. Through loud breaths and harsh panting, the illusions collapsed the moment his tainted will clashed with hers.

Her flaming hands should have burnt his skin as it did with the trident, but it didn't. It was soothing and calming, like a warm summer breeze waltzing over him. He closed his eyes and relished on the moment, knowing it would never last.

He could feel gentle wisps tickling his face, sense a little lull in his head as if trying to purify a hatred that couldn't be gone. He didn't know what the brunette was trying to do, but it made his eyes stung.

"Your Will corrupted you" She whispered, removing her hand slowly from his head.

"You're mad"

"So are you"

"You'll only be their dog"

"Who's to say I have a leash?"

"You're so naive. People like you..." He didn't finish the sentence, didn't have the energy to. Instead, he sighed and let his body fall flat to the ground, looking up at the dark sky being surrounded by little stars accompanying the big blue moon "Please, kill me. Better you than the Mafia"

"No" She flat-out refused and made a move to stand up from his knees, but her battered body was feeling the aftermath of an intense fight now that she took a moment of rest so she only succeeded to fall ungracefully beside him.

"You want to destroy that Mafia, don't you? We can destroy it together" She offered a flameless hand to him. Whether to help him stand up or close a pact, he loathed the generous action altogether.

"I don't need your pity" He snarled at her, angrily swatting her hand. Tsuna took no offence at that despite Gokudera's yelling in the back, she just rolled her eyes in a good manner.

"I'm not giving you pity. I'm giving you my hand, are you also blind?"

His mouth opened to retort, but no words came out. He looked at her, really looked at her, searching for something- Ah, there it was. The spark he was looking for.

Warm sunset-eyes, welcoming.

Reborn tugged at his fedora with a pleased smirk, the turn of events not going the way he expected but Tsuna not only activated and withstood the Hyper Dying Will Mode, she also created a bond on her own.

As soon as the two went flying to the outside world, both Gokudera and Yamamoto sprung with new-found strength, though it was probably adrenaline. They stood behind the fallen pair, now that there was no hostility in the air and the brunette was okay, they took a moment to rest.

"Hey! You guys okay!?" Dino came rushing into the room, Romario behind him with a phone in hand, probably assessing the injuries and consulting with the ambulances waiting somewhere outside.

Hibari clicked his tongue at the newcomers, muttering about crowded places and attempting to find a way out that wasn't being blocked by annoyances.

"You're late, Baka-Dino" Reborn kicked Dino in the head as soon as he walked in.

"You told me not to barge in!" Exclaimed the blond while looking around in search of the brunette.

"Boss" Called Romario surprised while he pointed to the outside.

"Where's...Is that...? Oh my god, she's on fire" Dino breathed out when his eyes finally landed through the hole beyond the wall and saw Tsuna porting the crown of Sky flames.

"She pulled it through the end" Said Reborn, and Dino couldn't tell if there was pride in his voice, he was too busy being awestruck staring at the brunette.

For a moment, there was a serene atmosphere around them, now that the fight was over. Mukuro didn't move from his place, just kept staring at Tsuna who stared back, waiting. Ever so slowly, his fingers twitched.

Then everything went to shit when a black portal appeared in the middle of the field and large heavy chains darted out to wrap themselves around Mukuro's injured body.

"What the hell!?" Gokudera stumbled over in shock, feeling dread and drilling his brain to find an answer.

"Shit" Reborn hopped through the wall and approached the situation.

"Reborn? What's happening? Why are they taking him away? Who?" Tsuna stumbled forward when the boy was pulled away from her, wide eyes shining in confusion and desperation, doing nothing but stare in horror as more chains came out and soon two other people were dragged over. The boys who had attacked them, they were unconscious and unaware of what was happening.

"Wait" She weakly ordered but was rendered speechless as a figure in black porting bandages and a top hat came out from the portal, holding over the large chain.

"Tsuna" The hitman warned her when he reached her side, but she wasn't listening. Her flames pulsed with her distressed feelings.

_"What are you doing!?"_

Everyone jumped when the brunette screamed, alarmed by her anguish and the overwhelming dark presence of the figure in black. Tsuna clenched her hands and limped forward.

"Tsuna" Dino rushed towards the brunette in alarm.

"Wait! What are you doing? Where are you taking them?!" She pleaded in a firm yet wobbly voice.

"Tsuna, don't" Dino grabbed her in his arms, caging her to stop walking despite her struggles to break free.

"No! No, let go of me! Why are you taking him away?!"

"He is a criminal Tsuna, he has to be charged for his crimes"

"But it wasn't his fault! It was that stupid family! He was just trying to protect himself and his friends!"

"Tsuna, stop it! We can't go against their laws"

"Let go of me, Dino! Dino, please!"

"I'm sorry" He told her regretfully and hugged her tight.

"An accomplice?" The figure in black asked, and everyone felt a chill by the power it came with.

"This is Vongola Decimo, this matter was taken care under Nono's orders. Mission completed" Reborn quickly stated, his voice showing no emotion as he revealed a document lit by a small orange flame in place of a signature.

The figure in black with the top hat tilted his head, inspecting the seal of flames before nodding to no one.

"Very well" Dismissing everyone else, he turned and walked inside the portal, taking the three-chained boys with him.

"Mukuro!" Tsuna screamed and he looked up to see her. And she saw, oh she saw.

The hate he felt for the Mafia, the fear of being imprisoned again, the ache in his heart for being treated like nothing and the yearning in his mismatched eyes at her call. The hope shining and crumbling in a blink.

The last thing she saw was a _red light_ before Mukuro's eyes faded into **darkness**.

There was a tense silence raging over the field, everyone trying to process what just transcurred and Tsuna still trying to break free despite Dino's soft reassurances.

Gokudera shivered when he finally realized who was that person in black, the grim reapers of the Mafia. Yamamoto at his side remained confused but something inside him crawled in distress, his instincts probably telling him it was a grave situation.

Hibari for his part remained by the broken wall, looking with slight intrigue at the empty space where the potential threat disappeared.

"Calm down, Dame-Tsuna"

"Why aren't you doing anything when you know the truth?" She asked in a hoarse voice, thick with emotions despite not showing anything on her face.

Reborn chose to remain silent, the topic at hand not being one to discuss with her overwhelming mind at the moment. Tsuna took his silence as uncaring, and she used Dino's weak grip after the hitman spoke to push herself away from him.

"Tsuna-

"Leave me alone!" She stalked away from them.

"Reborn" Dino pleaded the hitman to fix things, not wanting the brunette's night to end this sour.

"Let her go. She needs to come to terms with herself"

"But…" The blond sighed at the hitman's decision and opted to walk slowly behind the brunette, who was just pacing and unclenching her hands. He bit his lip, worried not only for her wounds but also for her mental health.

Once the situation seemed to be over, Romario called in some paramedics ready to assess the injured teens. Hibari growled at them and swatted when they tried to paw his body. They seemed to get the message, so they quickly moved towards the other two.

They assessed the broken arm and burnt fingers, everything else had to be taken care of at the hospital. They didn't try to approach the brunette, having the blond signalling at them to back away, though they did look with open curiosity. Romario could feel dissatisfaction at not only having one, but two injured teens without medical assistance as the night drew by.

Making a signal to round up the ambulances to carry the stubborn children, Romario ushered the paramedics away but kept them at a safe distance just in case.

Tsuna took this as a way to start walking towards the two boys sitting on a broken bench.

"Juudaime!" The bomber greeted her cheerfully despite half of his body being wrapped like a mummy when she approached them.

"Yo, Tsuna! We won!"

"Are you guys okay?" She asked in a flat voice, yet despite that, both boys eagerly answered her.

"Yes!"

"As your right-hand man, this is nothing"

"It was more intense than the spring tournament!"

"Juudaime, please have your wounds look after!"

"I think I saw Bianchi leaving with a kid?"

"Idiots...both of you are idiots!" The brunette suddenly shouted, making them shut up and stare at her "The hell were you two thinking?! Risking your lives like that?! You could have died! You could have-ngh"

She closed one eye in pain when her knees buckled, and everyone moved forward to catch her despite their own distances and injuries, but the brunette straightened herself up in time and backed away.

"Tsuna" Dino reached out to her cautiously.

"No!" She swatted his hand and took some steps back away from them "Don't, I'm fine! I'm…"

"Tsuna, you need to get your wounds treated!"

"I said I'm fine!" She snapped, making her flames shoot out unconsciously around her "Fine… I'm… I-"

"Tsuna" Reborn called her but she was far too gone.

**So consuming**

She released a shuddering breath, the fire in her head crackling soundlessly with the action.

Everyone was staring at her in shock, each one with a different mess of emotions. Even Reborn was at a loss of words, witnessing his student lose control over her flames and clinging onto them as if it was a dangerous addiction.

Sky flames were meant to be peaceful, harmonious and welcoming. Right now her flames were a beautiful mess of wounded Will and rampaging emotions. But most of all, they were raw and pure.

He has never felt such intensity since… well, **_her._ ** And to this day, not even her daughter carried the intensity such flames could possess. Seeing Tsuna, being in direct contact with such Sky flames, it made something in his core awaken.

They were so potent, it was no wonder it was having effects in the others too.

Romario, being the farthest from the group was speechless, but he kept a cool head and made sure no one but them had witnessed the girls' breakdown.

Gokudera was gaping in awe and wonder, though he looked ready to jump and be right next to the girl at any second in case she fell. Yamamoto for his part looked confused and worried about the situation but Reborn couldn't deny the hunger he saw in his eyes as he stared at the burning flames.

And Hibari, well. He was still here, silent and waiting.

The only one not being affected was Dino, perhaps wielding the same attribute had a nullifying effect for flame attraction. Without needing to be told, the blond stepped forward.

"Tsuna, turn it off" Dino said softly and approached her with caution, as if not wanting to spook a stray cat for possible danger "Your friends are fine. They are fine. You saved them, it's okay now, they will heal and be fine. Mukuro will be fine…You need to treat your wounds too, so you can let it go"

The girl didn't appear to be listening, she seemed to have a faraway look in her eyes as she stared ahead, flames continuing to burn in her hands and head.

"Tsuna" He tried again, stepping closer. When he gained no response, he dared to stand in front of her and peered into her orange eyes. "Tsuna, relax. Turn it off" He pleaded softly, raising a hand ever so slowly to touch her cheek. "Turn it off"

"How?" She asked in a weak voice, not blinking yet not really seeing him despite being in front of him.

"Just breathe"

She stood in silence for a minute, where she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Breathing, just breathing. The moment her flames extinguished, her body collapsed as if being cut loose from invisible strings.

"Got you" Dino caught her, holding her against his chest with utmost care.

"Juudaime!"

"Is she alright?"

"She's fine. Just unconscious. You guys did well. It was a hell of a battle, good job" He said in passing as he walked towards the closest ambulance.

He knew leaving the guardians in that state of distress when they so obviously wanted to be near their Sky was rude and bad, but the brunette's health came first.

"Let's bring you kids to the hospital" Reborn told them, leaving no arguments behind.

Hesitantly and a bit lost, both boys let Romario usher them inside an ambulance. Hibari; by good grief, had raided and taken claim of one for himself. So long as he gets treated, Romario didn't care about the methods.

Once both boys were grouchily and worriedly sat respectively inside and reassured that everything was going to be fine with the brunette girl, he turned back to stare at his Boss. This was a dangerous territory with an unexpected outcome. Reborn will need a lot of luck for what's surely to come. 

They all will.

With a sigh, he closed the doors of the ambulance soundlessly.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Dino placed Tsuna gently over the trolley bed, making sure her head wasn't lolled to the side while Reborn jumped to sit next to him. Both watched as a nurse connected an IV into the brunette's arm and a paramedic started assessing the injuries.

"Is this her first time in Hyper Dying Will Node?" Dino asked quietly but with curiosity evident in his eyes as he stared at the battered form of his little sister.

"She lighted it on her own a few days ago to save the stupid cow. It barely lasted five seconds and she has no memory of it"

"Her flames… they were so pure. I have never felt something like that before"

"Did she had any accidental flame bursts when she was little?"

"No" Dino leaned down, resting his elbows on his knees and his head on his hands "Tsuna never showed symptoms of being a flame user, Vongola blood or not. No matter how much she tried; unconsciously or not, she could never light them. It makes you wonder…"

Reborn remained silent, staring at his unconscious student.

There was no flame, but Reborn could still feel them.

A wildfire reaching out to him, clawing his skin.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you guys survive?
> 
> I know the first half of the chapter was a bit rushed, but I wanted to focus more on the last fight. Tsuna will be in contradiction with herself, remember that. She's fighting her Sky-nature, yet at the same time blindly trusting it. Don't worry, there is a reason. Can anyone guess?
> 
> Also, I don't remember anyone's power and abilities at this point, so if I made a mistake or turned them op, I'm not sorry. This is an AU.


	13. From now on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening, all you cool cats.
> 
> This chapter is shorter than the previous one, but it has key moments for future plot lines.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy it!

**.**

**.**

**.**

The quietness of the night accompanied by a light breeze from the open window coated the room in a cool and serene atmosphere with the rays from the moon shining down and painting the white walls a pale blue.

That's the world Tsuna found herself waking up to. Although real or a dream, that was yet to be known.

It took her a while to recognise where she was, the smell of disinfectant was prominent but her mind was slow to process the hospital room she was in. It should've been alarming, opening her half-lidded eyes and not remembering how she got there or how long it's been.

It must have been a long while, for her body remained numb and unresponsive to any pain it should have felt. There was nothing but a hollow feeling sucking everything but her lonely thoughts.

She felt weird in her own body as if she were floating in it. Now that she knew what it was like to swim in a large body of water, she could describe the feeling of the aftermath sensation, a sinking rock floating in the sky.

"Are you awake?"

She blinked tiredly and willed her head to move to the right, where the sound of the voice had come from. So very slowly, her neck turned, stiff from lying for so long on a pillow until her eyes managed to see the owner of the voice, a blurry image of a person walking towards her with calm strides.

Trying to blink the haziness from her sight, she was able to distinguish the presence of a man standing close to her. A mocking image of a doctor staring down at her, his olive skin emitting an unnatural blue-hue under the moonlight from the window. Metal rimmed glasses and brownish short hair met her in an old and wrinkled appearance.

She didn't know this face, but she didn't need the whispers in her head to scream danger when she knew there was none for despite his fake brown hair and hazel eyes, she would recognize this man anywhere.

"You're here?" she asked in a whisper, voice tired and hoarse.

"Am I?" he asked in a teasing manner, his distinctive laugh confirming her previous thoughts of his identity so her skin didn't even bristle when he placed a hand over her forehead while cooing softly. "You took quite a beating, you poor thing"

"You knew… Vongola…" she reproached weakly, and any other time she would've screamed and cried, but not tonight. Not when nostalgia and numbness met in a whirlwind of cold emotions. She did try to glare as best as she could when he answered her.

"Of course I did. You have the same eyes as _him_. Don't look at me like that child, you have my best interests at heart. I will bring Vongola glory for you, all you need to do is sleep"

"Don… wanna" She whispered despite feeling a pull inside her to let go, to fall into the unknown of her thoughts and swim in the endless darkness that was her mind.

"Sleep" he hushed softly, his long fingers closing her eyes and his presence lulled her into a dreamless state of slumber until she knew no more.

*****

**·**

She wakes to sunlight kissing her face.

The cosy feeling only lasted seconds, before her brain woke up and she had to bite down a whimper when the pain that wasn't there before made itself present.

Her body tensed in fright but it was slow to react to her wishes to move, too tired and stiff from lying still. Her eyes were wide and open in an instant, looking around in panic and searching for shadows that weren't there. The hospital room was empty, the window remained open.

She took a minute to breathe and calm her beating heart, and it was only then that she noticed a needle sticking to her arm. Alarmed, she looked up and saw a half-empty IV bag dripping drops of solution into her system. No heart monitor. That was good because it was racing so loud, Tsuna could even hear it.

Awake and conscious, she was able to see the length of the damage her body took. Her ribs were bruised, not broken but almost if the spike of pain she felt in her chest by every rise and fall her breathing took was any indication.

Her sudden waking jolt didn't help either.

Bracing herself with her elbows she stretched her neck to see further and was horrified to notice her right foot porting a cast. If it was broken and she lasted the night fighting with it, she was seriously going to throw a fit. But no, it wasn't broken. She could still feel and move her toes.

The hospital pj's pants covered her legs, but she was sure bruises were hiding underneath.

Sighing, she fell back to the pillow, not wanting to see the disaster that were her arms. All she knew was that both of her hands were heavily wrapped in bandages and greenish-purple shapes were peeking through the pj's sleeves. There was also a scratchy sensation below her chin and a stinging in her upper lip. She couldn't even grimace without something hurting.

Clenching her eyes tight and holding down the pain, she tried her very best to remove the needle from her skin with utmost care. Her hand, thank the lords, wasn't shaking through the whole ordeal, but it hung loosely after that.

Those were the physical wounds. 

Inwardly, her mind was a mess.

She survived the battle. She won and survived with great effort and strife, but everything was a blur. Her first rational thought was 'what am I going to tell Mom?'. Her second one being `what happened?'.

Because it's true. Ever since she first stepped foot in Kokuyo Land, it seemed like an invisible wind was moving things before her. She moved and acted without thinking, only realizing things were done a second too late but by the time she caught up, her mind was already racing into another direction.

It wasn't until the last fight, after hope seemed lost and she was close to giving up that she felt it. That warm embrace holding her. She could vividly remember the fire licking her veins, the strength her muscles felt and the power her Will created along with the fading of the world around her.

She was aware of everything, her senses were on hyperalert. Seeing things a second before they happened and whispered words of fight and encouragement.

She felt good, alive.

Yet when Mukuro was taken away, she felt something snap.

There was a feeling of nausea in the pit of her stomach, a whirlwind twisting something inside, pushing and pulling. It made her restless and paranoid, for she could clearly feel the inner struggle in her. And it scared her.

Breathing deep, she opened her eyes and blinked the tears in them. One problem at a time, she told herself. Just one day at a time.

She took a moment to compose herself, to halt her thoughts and calm her racing heart. Now that the danger has ended, why does she still feel dread looming over her?

Turning her head to the side, she was able to spot a small bedside table and a chair holding a soft cardigan on its back. Someone had been here if the forgotten cup of tea was an indication, probably Dino. She owed him an apology for screaming at him like that. Truly, she didn't know where all that anger had come from.

Bracing herself, she groaned weakly as she sat up, holding a hand over her chest to prevent her ribs from stretching any further. Slowly, she turned her body until her legs were dangling on the bedside. She was able to see that the cast wasn't actually a full-cast, but rather a half one. It covered the back of her foot and leg while some thick wrapping held the white material in place.

At least it wasn't broken, was her positive thought. But it still hurt. And she refuses to use crutches.

Huffing, she looked around the room for something to help her walk, but there was nothing. She probably shouldn't even be attempting to walk, but an unsettled feeling was making her feel restless by just lying around.

So very carefully - and giving herself mental pats of encouragement now that the voices in her head were silent - she placed her good foot on the ground and braced a hand over the wall next to the bed to hop into a standing position. It hurt a lot, her breath hitched and her ribs and back throbbed in spikes of pain with the movement however careful it was.

But she was already up, she couldn't stop now. So with slow jumps and slides, she approached the bedside table.

Spring was turning to summer, but the morning breeze still carried a coolness in it, so she grabbed the cardigan that was perched on a chair and put it on with clumsy movements so as to not justle her injuries further.

Feeling warm and secured, she limped out of the room.

If there's one thing she's learned about hospitals was to avoid any nurse. So with bruised ribs and an almost-broken foot, that feat was hard but she succeeded in her quest with her head tingling whenever someone walked in close.

Seemed like the voices were back… joy…

She peeked over the corner of a small resting area and managed to locate a phone near the wall across from her. Swallowing up, and straightening her back as best as she could as to not grab attention and hobbled over to the black machine.

She held the phone for minutes in her bandaged hand, hanging and unclasping it several times. The feeling of nausea was back, and she felt her breath coming in short whenever she tried to mark the number of her house. The pep talks weren't working nor the soft whispers in the back of her head od reassurances.

This was something that she had to come to terms with by herself, no matter how long it took.

"Hey Mom" She greeted weakly and clenched her eyes when her mother's worried voice answered back, asking why she hadn't come home or why hasn't she called.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. But last night... " She had to pause at that because how many days has it been? "G-Gokudera and Yamamoto got in a fight. Even Kyoya… I had to help them, Mom… I'm sorry I didn't call, R-Reborn was with me I thought- oh he did? Dino too? That's good"

At least they made sure to reassure her mom that she was fine, that was a huge relief.

"How's Fuuta?" And wasn't it great news to learn that the little boy was out of harm's way. He got out of that nightmare with a night of good bed-time sleep. "At least he's finally resting. It's going to be okay, Mom. I'm… sorry about not calling sooner but… I think I'm going to stay here for a while until they heal… Yeah, I love you too"

Sighing heavily, she placed the phone down and leaned her forehead against the wall. She took it all back, sneaking around with half-broken bones wasn't hard, lying to her mother was the most painful thing to do. Always been.

The way back to her room felt heavier with a dirty conscience.

Her mind despite being awake was slowly processing everything that had happened. She might be sneaking around with numb thoughts but she was sure that sooner or later the reality of the situation will settle in and leave her with a shocked mind and probably a broken heart.

But for now, she stopped her hobble to lean against a wall when a shudder ran down her body. There was something pulling at her, a crawling in her mind trying to lead her somewhere far beyond her reach.

She didn't want to go, didn't want to listen to that annoying whisper but like a fish following a current, she let the force gently pull her all the way through the halls and right into an elevator.

There was someone inside, an old man who scolded her with a: "Young lady, you shouldn't walk without crutches!" at which she embarrassingly came up with a lie and ushered him away. The old man stepped out grouchily, looking around for a nurse so Tsuna quickly pressed the button repeatedly to close the doors.

She backed into a corner when the metal walls enclosed her inside and sighed in her hands where she stood for minutes just calming her nerves.

"Now what?" she whispered to herself and looked at the wall with lines of buttons. She raised a hand and let it hover over them, her fingertips touching the braille engraved in them till she felt a soft pinch on one of them.

She pressed it and leaned her head back when the elevator moved up, all the way towards the roof.

While waiting, she moved her hand back and touched the injuries on her face. She was shocked to know there were stitches below her chin and a cut in her upper lip. Thankfully, through the reflections of the metal, she was half reassured to find no bruises on her face.

The elevator stopped soundlessly and opened its doors. Tsuna peeked around and once she found the hall clear, she hobbled out. Placing a hand on the wall, she jumped and limped all the way to the door that led outside.

She stopped by the door for a moment, and with hesitant fingers, she opened it.

Sunlight greeted her, and she basked in the warmth it brought to her for as long as she could, before her eyes landed on a figure ahead of her.

She stopped her wobble and looked at the boy in front of her who was leaning against the railing and looking down towards the ground, one arm heavily wrapped in bandages, the other one in a cast.

She knew what she needed to do despite the pain in her head. What she has to do despite the pang in her heart.

"Are you going to jump?" She asked softly, not wanting to startle him.

"Are you here to stop me again?" He asked in return, his voice light despite the topic at hand.

"I didn't stop you" She frowned "You were the one who grabbed my hand, and then we fell, remember?"

"Didn't mean to drag you down, but hey~ we survived" Yamamoto laughed and turned to look at her. He frowned for a second, his face turned blank for a moment as he drank the sight of her injured body, but it softened soon after. He looked at her in relief and content, it made a bitter taste form in her throat.

"Hey…" She said quietly to grab his attention and looked down, unable to meet his eyes "Back then… you asked me something I didn't answer"

"Back then?"

"I don't want to be your friend. So please, stay away from me"

There was a tense silence, and she refused to look up where she knew a shocked stare was looking back at her. A stare that saw what she didn't, the hollow eyes and pale skin marred with bruises, a small form hiding away from the pain of the world.

"Is that what you want?" He asked softly.

"Yes"

"Okay"

Her lips parted, but there was nothing she could say. She's not going to lie to herself, despite being at fault. It hurt for the boy to agree so easily but it had to be done, the quicker the better. She refused to meet the eyes of the boy in front of her, just nodding and carefully manoeuvring her body to turn to walk back inside.

"Do you want to eat some sushi? I bet my father can smuggle some"

"You, didn't you hear what I said?" She turned back, surprised to see him standing next to her with his bandaged arm raised a little as if to catch her if she were to fall.

"I did. That's what you want, not what I want" He told her resolutely and ignored her glare as she turned around to face him despite the pain in her ribs.

"Damn it, you! This is serious! you can't be near me! you will be in danger! This!" She said pointing to his arms "Is nothing compared to what's coming. You will get hurt, you can die! You'll never see your father or play baseball again. You will regret meeting me and trying to befriend me! This isn't a game!"

"Then let it happen, and see if I regret it" He stepped closer to her, eyes not leaving hers "I'm sure I won't"

"I can't protect you" She whispered while shaking her head in denial "And when the time comes, I won't"

"Then I will protect you"

"Why? Just…why?"

"I don't know" He scrunched his nose, as he kept staring at her in confusion and open yearning. It made something in her twist.

"You didn't give a shit about me. Why me? Why now?"

"I don't know!" And maybe it's something that neither could explain, the push and pull happening between them. But it was hurting them both.

"You're just going to get hurt!"

"How can you say that?"

"Because that's what friends are for" She said and tried to step back but her foot didn't let her "Friendship is not some magical force that creates rainbows and gives you super strength. Once they serve their purposes they either abandon you or betray you"

"Do you really believe that?"

"Isn't that what they did to you?" She spat at seeing the pity in his eyes "Because it's what I'm doing to you"

"Tsuna-

"Makes me wonder how why you want to be friends with someone like me"

"Because I have to!"

"Why?!"

"I don't know!"

He grabbed one of her shoulders, and if he was using both hands she was sure he would have shaken her, but he could do nothing more than stand in front of her and held her with one arm in a desperate manner as his eyes trembled with conflict and yearning.

"I don't know. Tsuna, you…. I didn't even notice you before; and yet one day, you just… it was like you were the only light I could see and I want it"

It wasn't a slap.

Tsuna merely pushed his face in a gentle manner to the right, but the action felt just like one. Yamamoto's eyes stung and he bit his lip to prevent anything from spilling, be it tears or a sad question. He held them back, he held all the pain and hurt back because right here and now, someone was screaming and no one seemed to be listening but him.

They were both scared, lost in their own nightmares and fears. He wanted to show her that he was true in his heart, with no ill intentions despite the need to be closer to her. Because yeah, at first it might have started that way. But now, getting to know this girl, he wanted to protect her and shield her from harm.

He leaned down till his forehead rested on hers.

"Whatever this is, I won't let that light die. You can push me away, but I won't leave you" He reassured her and rubbed his head with hers when the brunette bit her lip, with her eyes glistening and making it impossible to look away from them "You're my friend, Tsuna"

"You're an idiot"

"Yes" He laughed in agreement "But you need me, so don't push me away, okay?"

She didn't agree, but she also didn't push him back. That counted as a win for him.

"Let's go back, Gokudera will be so happy to see you"

He pulled back and moved one of her arms around his neck to help support her weight. He smiled at her when she muttered about not needing help when he was injured too, but that didn't stop him from pulling her close when a grimace of pain flared on her face at the first step.

And just as they were going to walk, the doors leading to the rooftop were violently open and a torrent of yellow little birds came rushing out. Both stared in astonishment as a black figure emerged through them, seething and annoyed.

"Ah! Hibari! You're awake!"

"You skipped school" He glared at them, the black hospital pyjamas and bandages on him did nothing to deter his anger.

"You just noticed now!?" Screamed Tsuna incredulously, half-happy to see him standing, half-scared to see him glaring at her.

"For disrupting Namimori's peace, I will bite you to death!" He pulled his tonfas out and rushed at them.

"W-wait!"

Yamamoto, in a quick movement that was surprisingly gentle, lifted her up with his good arm and held her against his chest and shoulder as he skipped all around the roof with the prefect on his trail.

"Yamamoto, stop carrying me!" She shouted but held on tightly.

"Maa, maa~"

"I will bite you to death!"

This was ridiculous! Seriously, this was her life, craziness unfolding without reason.

Though it used to be lively before she came back to Namimori, now it seemed like trouble loved to follow her like a hungry bear and she was a sticky pot of honey.

She has to admit there have been some good unexpected moments in all this absurd life where she actually found herself enjoying the happenings taking place. And as some people say, it's all in the little moments.

If they weren't injured, Kyoya would surely force them to fight until the nurses drag them back. She was actually surprised that neither Gokudera nor Ryohei had joined in. They must probably still be sleeping if they were missing this pointless chase.

Yamamoto was still laughing near her ear, a happy sound like bells chiming in the wind and instead of disturbing your peace, they seemed to carry a certain calm air with them.

But with all the running and jostling, and laughs and grunts, the bells were distorting into flat sounds.

Everything started blurring and fading, her reality shifting and for a moment she worried she was still stuck in an illusion and everything truly was just a dream.

"Stop, hey…Y-Yamamoto…"

She patted him on the back, trying to make him stop but her voice sounded so far away. She gasped as a feeling crawled in her stomach, it was the sensation of something forcefully pulling at her.

"Yamamoto stop… let go of me!" She pushed him as hard as she could, making him release her in surprise. She stumbled back, and both guys took a step when her body fell, but luckily a wall behind her supported her weight.

"Tsuna?"

"Ngh" She leaned against the wall and gagged, her shoulders shaking with the shivers racking her body. The nausea feeling was back and increased in volume, with a queasy feeling in her head like her mind couldn't get into an agreement and it was messing everything up.

At what, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she needed to get away despite the weak cry of refusal.

"Tsuna-

"Don't!" She didn't mean to shout but this feeling was twisting her nerves. She swallowed hard, glad there was no yucky substance in her throat except for a bitter taste as she curled in on herself. "J-Just- today… stay away from me"

She didn't wait for a response, gripping the wall at her side, she limped all the way to the door with great effort and a dizzy head.

Yamamoto looked at her retreating figure with conflict, not understanding the sudden coldness when it was warm a few moments ago. The way the brunette limped away didn't help in soothing his worries. He was seeing that light disappearing when minutes ago he promised to protect it.

His body moved to help, but Hibari placed an arm in front of him, preventing him from even taking one step further.

Now that hurt a lot.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Inside, Tsuna barely reached the elevator before she stopped as vertigo hit her full force. She clenched her eyes shut to stop the shadows from dancing in her view, but the sounds around her were all twisting and buzzing. There was cold sweat forming on her back and shivers rocking her body to the point her ribs hurt.

She thought that by getting away and being isolated the uncomfortable feeling would pass, but all it did was tone down till her hands felt clammy and left a lingering pulse in her head.

She focused on slowing her breathing so that it wouldn't disturb her ribs and the swirl of emotions in her insides.

However, after a few heartbeats, her eyes snapped open when she choked on her breath as something thick ran out of her nose and prevented her from inhaling more oxygen.

Her lips parted in surprise, and once she was sure she was breathing through her mouth despite the sting it caused on her lip, she sniffed and wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

As she lowered it, she was startled to see a red spot staining the clean bandages.

"The hell?"

"Oi"

She turned to see Kyoya approaching her with long strides and his eyes quickly sized on the blood coming out of her nose.

He frowned and stepped in front of her, and in a gentle action that was so alien to him, he gently wiped the red streak from her face with his thumb, not minding the mess he was making on himself.

"I'm okay…" She whispered more to herself than to him.

"Why did you risk your life like that? Are you an idiot?"

"They had Fuuta and you…"

"I had it under control" He grunted angrily, his pride hurt no doubt. What with losing a fight, being tricked and having Tsuna finish his prey with a surprising burst of power that came out of nowhere. He wanted answers, some of which she didn't know how to explain but he didn't press for them. He kept busy trying to fix her nose.

"E-Even so, I was forced by the mafia to go along. Mukuro wanted me, and I wanted to save him" Her voice sounded funny, but he ignored it altogether.

"It was stupid"

"It was really scary"

"You were on fire…" he deadpanned, causing a bubble of laughter to come out of her lips.

"Yeah..."

Apparently, there was no more blood falling but he didn't relent his position in front of her, opting to loom over her while assessing her injuries. And she let him because she was tired and sleepy and feeling sick, and being near him seemed to block the nausea sensation.

She was tempted to ask him to carry her back to her room, but before she could even dare to suggest walking together, the elevator chimed and a distressed looking doctor came rushing out rolling a wheelchair.

"There you are! Oh my god, quick! Get in" Shamal urged her, his eyes wide and looking all around them while pointing to the chair.

"What are _you_ doing here?" She glared at him suspiciously.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine. Now get in!"

"Weren't you the school nurse? Are you stalking me?" She ignored his edginess and was thinking of letting Kyoya go at him.

"I was appointed as your personal doctor. Can't risk you with people outside the famiglia"

"You are not Vongola" She pointed out.

"Not quite, but not far. I'm just trustful. Now sit before your tutor finds you left the room"

Now that was enough to get her to plop herself down in the wheelchair.

As the morning dragged on and her mind cleared a little with new troubles raising, she was remembering feelings of that night and how crossed she felt with the hitman. All she could think was that she didn't want to see him.

"It's okay" She told Kyoya when Shamal rolled her quickly inside the elevator. The prefect was glaring at them, at Shamal for breaking into his school and impersonating a nurse and at her for her lack of information.

She gave him one last pleading look before the doors closed, silently promising to update him on everything that had happened, and probably was going to happen.

"I looked for you all over the place. Just be thankful Reborn is at a meeting with Vongola's representatives or he would have skinned you" Shamal sighed tiredly as the elevator descended, but Tsuna paid him no mind, she was finally resting her tired body and relieving the pressure from her aching muscles.

The hobo-doctor rolled her through the corridors and into the hospital room assigned to her and her eyes quickly zeroed on the open window.

She sighed and batted at his arms when he tried to help her stand up. If she could manage to sneak around with a sluggish mind, she could as well hop into bed without disturbing her wounds.

They still hurt but Shamal ignored her bratty attitude by dragging the chair closer to the bed where he then proceeded to sit with a relieved sigh.

"So?" She asked and was thankful when he didn't make any movements to stick the IV needle back in her arm.

"So, how do you feel?" Shamal asked disinterestedly, seeing as all he cared for was for her to be in her room in case the baby hitman returned to find he had lost her. "Entering the Hyper Dying Will Mode at such an age is impressive… Reborn didn't tell you"

"He doesn't explain shit" She glared at him, feeling anger swirl in her stomach.

"Now, now" He tried to placate her and cleared his throat "For what I know, all the previous time he has shot you, you entered a state known as Dying Will Mode moved by your resolve of fulfilling your regrets. It's a beginner state if you will, you are reckless in power but you have a limit to it. Entering Hyper Dying Will Mode its the opposite"

He paused to make sure she was following, which she was. Staring at him with wide attentive eyes, pillowed by swollen eye-bags and a pale face.

His fingers itched to grab a cigarette but Reborn made it clear not to smoke inside the room. For a hitman, he sure was getting special on what and not to do in front of his new student.

"In this state, you lift that limit bar but you remain calm and aware of everything around you. You feel invincible even if you're not. They said it all depends on how strong your Will is"

"I think I'm allergic to them" She muttered more to herself than to him, but he still heard her. 

"What makes you say that?" Shamal looked at her with curiosity.

"My head feels funny after the effect passes and I get dizzy"

"Hmm, the Hyper Dying Will Mode requires more energy from you. Answer me truthfully, how are you feeling?"

"I feel weird" She paused for a moment, trying to gather with words what she was actually feeling "It felt good. A bad good. I could feel my body breaking, but deep down I knew that power would save me, but… but the voices don't stop, my head is killing me and I feel like there's something inside of me that just wants to burst and I think I'm going to puke"

"Here's the garbage, hug it, don't let it go" Shamal quickly pushed the garbage bin to her hands which she proceeded to bring closer to her chest weakly "Will you allow me to do something?"

"What?" She glared at him, still distrusting him. He stood from the chair and raised his empty hands, making sure to show her he meant no harm.

"I will just place my hand here" He slowly lowered his hand to her head, where one of his mosquitos flew around to gather data. It wasn't enough, he will request deep analysis to be run while under HDWM to see the impact it has, but for now, this was all he could gather.

"It seems like you are having an after effect to the Dying Will Bullets"

"Is that bad?"

"You are being shot in the head, canonically dying and reviving with a burst of energy. As I said before, you are too young and with so much power…" He trailed off as he removed his hand from her head "We can't force your flames to come out like that until you have more control over them. I will talk with Reborn, see if there's another method to train your flames without triggering them so violently"

"Oh god" she hurled, feeling the whirlwind returning and messing her insides with dread and anxiousness.

"Hug the damn bin!" Shamal screeched as Tsuna gagged inside the metal container. "God damn, you are skinny. Skinnier than last time I saw you... two days ago, that's impossible…"

He looked at her, his stare skimming all over her shaking body, the superficial wounds hiding what laid beyond. The trembling in her limbs, the bags under her hollowed eyes and the tired form in her shoulders as she hunched over. It was distressing, like he was looking at another person.

"Are you at that age? You know girls love muscular bodies, right?"

"I like boys" She glared at him weakly, still incredulous that he thought she was a boy after all this time.

"Well, the world it's more open-minded now"

"I'm a girl, you bastard"

He blinked owlishly for a second, and little by little his eyes started to widen as he took her in.

And just as he was about to screech, Tsuna miscalculated as she doubled over and puked on his shoes.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The day went like a blur after that. Shamal’s screeches brought the attention of many scary nurses who did not think twice about kicking him out of the room once he started flirting and ignored the patient at hand.

Tsuna was glad, she just wanted to curl and sleep the pain away. She was only able to ask for a glass of water when one of the nurses tried to force the IV needle back in her arm despite the brunette's sluggish struggles.

Her weak argument on not doing it until a family member was with her won after her eyes became glassy and her face gained a pink hue due to a developing fever.

Stupid. The nurses were just waiting for her to fall asleep on her own. She was close to giving in when a blond walked into the room, alarmed when he saw Shamal lurking by the door and all the nurses inside.

She could feel her consciousness slipping away and her reality fading, her body did not even recognize the prick in her skin when the needle was gently placed on her vein as her eyes closed.

She vaguely remembered seeing Dino sitting on the empty chair with Reborn on his shoulder.

Her last thoughts before slumber took her were the need to stay away from the hitman and that she needed a mouthwash.

**.**

**.**

**.**

She wakes up the next day with less pain and a clearer head.

And the aftermath of the battle hit her full force because oh my god, Mukuro! And Yamamoto just broke his arm again, and Kyoya was close to collapsing and she still didn't know what happened to Gokudera!

She could have died, they all could have died but they won and survived, but the other boys were taken away. Innocent humans stained by the cruelty of the mafia, the dark side of the world. And what about Lancia? Was he taken too? And what about Mukuro? Was he given a trial or simply thrown into the gutter?

So many distressing questions, so many doubts and fears of the unknown but most of all, resentment of the injustice of the situation.

Like a little girl who believed in all that was good, she wanted to help Lancia in clearing his name. No one deserved to carry the sins of another, no matter if the other person was in some way justified.

The other boys too, what fate had befallen on them for following a friend? Because even if they didn't fight or talked directly, Tsuna could clearly feel that they weren't just mere lackeys following orders. They truly believed in whatever Mukuro had promised them.

And him… Tsuna knew what she wanted even if it seemed wrong after what happened.

Her sense of justice was twisted by the world she grew up in, it made her question at night when sleep was impossible to conceive if perhaps there was something wrong with her, but no. What she felt and what she wanted haven't staggered.

Which is why the anger and resentment she felt when the hitman refused to help Mukuro or the others made a bitter flare bloom inside of her.

She knew the hitman would never help her unless it was convenient for him. His job was to train her -to become a mafia boss- no matter the risk or consequences. Other matters such as listening to her worries at night or giving her advice on life seemed more like a mocking gesture than anything.

And she hated how she longed for them. Those reassurances, that arrogant belief that she could and would succeed in whatever he deemed she could, Tsuna deeply longed for them.

That power he offered, the strength he gave her by shooting her in the head, she was becoming addicted to it. Like a drug, whenever she felt like breaking down, she trusted and hoped and knew the hitman would give her what she needed.

Yet when she was denied, it was like life made her realize that no one was going to help her, no one but herself.

Stepping into her life, making her do things against her will, only leading a hand when she risked ruining his training, she felt betrayed.

She felt like a puppet. And isn't that what she was these days? A puppet in her own body, an instrument of power to someone, a doll to another and a pawn in the game of life?

Such heavy and dark thoughts greeted her so early in the morning, it was causing a severe sense of sadness to fall over her bones and grip her heart in a tight grip. It happened once in a while when she wakes and ponders what she’s doing with her life. But she has learned to discard such depressing thoughts over time.

It was morning, and the sun was shining through the window. And she was tired of being stuck in the hospital room for however long it's been.

Yawning, she winced as her split lip and stitched chin stretched by the action. She completely forgot about that, and horror fell down on her as she assessed her wounds with a clearer head.

The half-cast in her foot was gone, replaced by a black funny looking boot. Her hands ported fewer bandages but they were still covered. She didn't feel any pain in them, so it made her wonder why they covered them in the first place.

Her ribs surprisingly didn't protest as much when she sat up. Though they throbbed when she made a move to stretch her arms, the pain was bearable and no sense of nausea attacked her. And to her comfort, there was no IV stuck to her arm.

It was a good morning so far, she could feel her energy returning to her body as her wounds healed. But the restlessness of being confined pushed her to sling her legs over the bed.

Carefully, she tested the weight of the boot. And once she found that it actually supported her ankle without sending shivers of pain through her leg, she walked around to test it.

Though she still limped as one foot was higher than the other, it was way better than hopping and stumbling next to a wall.

And just as she hobbled to the door, a black figure jumped through the window and startled her. She wasn't ready to face him yet.

"How are you feeling, Dame-Tsuna?" He asked, giving her a blatant stare as she backed away from him and towards the door.

"You don't talk to me, I'm mad at you" She gritted out as limped backwards.

"Stupid brat, who do you think you are?"

"Your responsibility!" She snapped and slammed the door.

Reborn glared at the closed door and pulled his fedora over his eyes. Any other time, he would have shot her for such disrespect but he was holding back.

He was giving her space because Nana asked him to. It was a long phone call full of reassurance and promises, the last thing he wanted was to make the woman cry over the disappearance and state of her daughter.

Nana was a stronger woman than people give her credit, she clearly didn't buy their lies of Tsuna getting into a petty squabble with other students -as they all decided to use as the cover-up, not exactly a lie but not the whole truth either-, but she accepted them with a heavy heart.

 _"My girl can be grumpy when she's confined to a place for some time. Give her some space, okay Reborn? And don't get mad if she yells at you. She's entering her teens, youth is finally catching up, how nice"_ She said.

It wasn't nice at all. The last thing he needed was a moody teenager with an attitude.

But he will let her be, at least until her bruises were gone so that he could give her new ones.

Tsuna for her part was glued to the wall in shock and suspense. Her heart was beating like crazy and her body sweating bullets, waiting any second for the Hitman to come down her trail with promises of pain and torture.

When a minute went by and nothing happened, she swallowed and made a dash as quick as she could with a limp towards the reception desk. She knew where to go, but she refused to follow the whispers in her mind.

A nurse kindly directed her to the room number she was looking for and gave her a candy when her eyes landed on them. Tsuna accepted them wholeheartedly because her mouth tasted like ash at the moment.

Savouring the peppermint flavour, she hobbled towards the hallway she came from, wary eyes looking for any place the hitman might jump at her or for secret compartments to open and release surprise attacks.

Her imagination might be running wild, but living with the hitman for months has taught her to always suspect what you wouldn't expect.

When she got to the door next to her room, she knocked gently before opening it slowly. She peeked inside, eyes quickly landing on the silver-haired boy sleeping peacefully in bed, wrapped in bandages but breathing alright. At his side, Bianchi smiled at her when they made eye-contact.

"You're finally up" She said, leaning back to stretch her arms above her head.

"How long...?"

"Two days, today's the third. You guys slept through all of them"

Tsuna sucked at the candy in her mouth in question because it made her wonder... What happened with Yamamoto and Shamal was real? Because thinking about it now, it felt more like a hazy dream.

"Thank you, for taking care of Fuuta" She said gratefully despite Bianchi's wave of a hand.

"Don't mention it. The kid's alright, he was sleeping and out of danger by the time we got home"

Home. Such word pulled strings inside of her. How she longed for it and dread of returning.

"Have you spoken to your mother?" Bianchi asked. They were talking in hushed voices so as to not wake Gokudera up, but he seemed deep in slumber.

"I think I did? I don't know if I dreamt it..."

"You should call her again, just in case"

"Yeah, I know"

She pulled her lips into a tiny smile and nodded at her. Bianchi waved at her and crossed her legs into a more comfortable position.

Tsuna closed the door slowly and felt her shoulders sag. She will call her mother again, just maybe not this early, she could be resting and she didn't want to disturb her.

Or so she told herself as she made her way into the elevator once again. She considered taking the stairs but she didn't know if her legs would stand it and she refused to use crutches.

The ride up was smooth and quick, it made some stops for other patients and visitors before it left her all alone on the rooftop. She walked towards the door leading outside and pulled it open with firm fingers. Sunlight greeted her again with a cool swirl of wind caressing her face.

Yamamoto wasn't here and she felt slightly guilty at the hope of him being here too after how things ended last time they were here. If they were even here before, did that really happened?

Sighing, she let the wind carry her towards one of the benches they had for patients to rest. Sitting slowly and using her arms to lower herself without moving her ribs much, she shifted against the seat and threw her head back to the sky, closing her eyes and muting everything around her.

She felt lost. There was something wrong with her, she could feel it. All the negative emotions were taking a toll on her already tired mind; it was a mess.

Thoughts were running from all sides, whispering and wishing. She didn't know how to meditate to block all thoughts, thinking of something pointless wasn't helping either. Her mind quickly wandered back to the voiceless whisps at the back of her head.

She vaguely remembered Fon saying something about meditation, perhaps she could ask I-pin to contact him or perhaps raid the internet for some homemade remedies. That seemed more helpful, if only she had her stuff back.

She wasn't aware of another sound joining her thoughts, too busy discussing and trying to clear her mind. But by the time her mind started to acknowledge it, the soft sound was surrounding her like a gentle embrace.

A melody being hummed. A tune being carried by the wind that seemed to quiet down the mess inside her mind. She wasn't aware she joined in the lullaby till her throat felt itchy from humming along.

She snapped her eyes open in embarrassment and turned to look at the person sitting next to her.

"I'm sorry!"

Though her apologies disappeared when her eyes took in the presence at her side. She was the most beautiful woman she has ever seen, and that's saying much because Tsuna considered her mother the star of the universe.

Her long blonde locks flowed in the wind and her green eyes looked at Tsuna with warmth and mirth. It tugged something inside of her, something nice. Like a forgotten memory of lost summer days.

"S-Sorry for intruding..." She tried to apologize again, but the woman merely shook her head. Tsuna could feel a blush crawl over her face, still embarrassed and a bit self-conscious of how she probably looked but the woman gave it no thought.

"Are you here to visit someone?" Tsuna asked and gained a nod with a smile as an answer "I see. I hope they are doing fine"

She didn't feel discouraged that the woman wasn't talking. Perhaps she was, well... she clearly was foreign so maybe she couldn't speak Japanese. But her presence didn't feel disinterested or confused, quite the contrary. It felt welcoming. Tsuna could feel herself relaxing by the mere presence.

She jumped a little when she saw movement at her side and saw the woman pointing at her, or more exactly her injuries.

"Hm? me? Oh, I'm… I got into a fight… I needed, um… wanted? uh, there were some people in trouble and I had to rescue them, even though it hurt"

The woman nodded in understanding and there wasn't pity in her eyes, just that. Understanding with a hint of empathy. It wasn't ill-intended nor did Tsuna felt offended or insecure by it. She felt like she could open up her fears and nightmares without being judged. It was weird, but calming.

"C-Can I ask you a question?"

Tsuna moved so that she was facing the blonde woman, and bit her lip when she nodded. She took a minute to process her words and the woman patiently waited for her to gather her thoughts.

"If… if you were forced to do something against your will, but eventually that action could save a lot of people… will you do it?

She wasn't sure how or even if she would receive an answer. But she was startled by the soft touch of a hand being placed over hers. Tsuna looked up, finding kind green eyes looking at her with gentle comfort and acceptance.

Like a secret being shared, the brunette understood what the woman was trying to tell her with that look. The reassurance and support that those eyes held seemed to vanish all dark thoughts from her mind. She felt at peace with herself, felt lighthearted and sheltered.

There were no words spoken, but Tsuna's heart heard them all.

"Tsuna!?" There was a yell echoed through the walls from a voice she recognized.

"I have to go" She whispered even when she didn't want to move. But she knew she had to or else another blond would cause trouble in his search for her. So with a careful movement, she stood up and bowed as best as she could to the woman.

"It was nice talking to you. I hope you have a nice evening"

The woman's bright smile showered her with warmth, joy and happiness, it soothed any pain and doubt from her heart, Tsuna couldn't help but return it despite the stretch it caused on her facial injuries.

Waving goodbye with her hand, Tsuna turned and walked with careful steps towards the door leading inside. The breeze seemed to accompany her, carrying the remains of a soft hum and a peculiar smell of magnolias with it.

Before she could ponder more on it, the elevator’s door opened to reveal a distressed blond. And Tsuna couldn't help but wonder how far he was when he yelled before.

"There you are!" Dino sighed in relief and walked closer to her "Please stop disappearing like that"

"Sorry, I needed some air" She shifted in her stance but a squeak left her lips when the blond suddenly lifted her in his arms "Dino, I can walk!"

"Uh-huh" He nodded but didn't release her, only shifting her in his arms so he didn’t press on her ribs "Let's have some breakfast! I made Romario sneak some cakes and cookies"

"Really!?" She asked hopeful and with gleaming eyes "You will get him in trouble if a nurse finds out"

"Let's keep it a secret" The blond grinned at her, and with her newfound spirits, she returned it.

Though it was embarrassing being carried around, some kids snickered and a few nurses giggled as they passed by. She wanted to hide her face but found herself very comfy to do that.

They soon arrived at her room where the blond walked them inside. No signs of Reborn. Good.

"Sawada-san! I'm so happy you're awake" The man was waiting by the bedside table, which was filled with freshly brewed tea and all kinds of desserts, she felt gleefully spoiled.

"Hello, Romario. Thanks for the cookies!"

"Of course, just don't tell anyone" She nodded at their secret and let Dino place her back on the bed and helped her stretch her injured foot while Romario opted to guard the door.

Once her back was resting on the pillows, a bed-table was placed over her lap and soon Tsuna found herself enjoying blueberry muffins and a cup of tea.

"I'm glad you're better now. You gave us quite the scare" Dino told her from his place in the chair and she couldn't help but feel like this was a goodbye party.

"You're leaving again, aren't you?" Tsuna's mind concluded as she watched the guilt swirling in his eyes.

"I promise I'll come back. I swear" He leaned closer to her "It's just, the mafia is getting wind of some prisoners revolting against Vongola, I need to help calm the waters before it gets worse"

"You mean before they find about me..." She was starting to lose her appetite by the turn of the conversation, and it felt worse at seeing the conflict in the blond’s stare.

"I'm at your side, Tsuna. You're my little sister. But..."

"But your alliance isn't with me. I get that" She looked at him with a tiny smile "I know you want to protect me, so thank you"

His eyes softened and he exhaled quietly. Being the Boss of a Famiglia and playing family with her was clearly taking a toll on him, even worse when there were bigger shadows breathing down his neck and threatening her.

"I'm sorry I burned your jacket" She told him after a few minutes of silence. Her tea has run cold by now, but the chocolate chip cookies tasted delicious as she nibbled on one of them.

"It's alright, I can always get you another one" The blond smiled reassuringly, and she understood the hidden meaning in that. That he will always return to her if things were bad.

"Must you go soon?" She asked in a weak plea, knowing it wasn't fair to hold him back when he has an entire famiglia and state to return to.

"I'll be back as soon as I can. I heard from Reborn that he's returning your phone back. So you can call me anytime you want"

She nodded wordlessly, choosing to continue nibbling on her cookie to prevent a grimace from showing at the name of the hitman. She was still on edge and waiting for him to attack.

"Tsuna?" The blond grabbed her attention and she turned to see him looking back at her with a smile "You were so cool out there"

The pride in his voice was not missed, and she basked on it with a hollow feeling in her heart.

"I wish he would have seen it" She whispered, eyes lowering to her lap.

"He would have been proud. I know I was" Dino reassured her, placing a hand over hers to solidify his words. And she nodded because that was all she could do. She could only imagine the what-if's and treasure them like the illusions they were.

"Dino?"

"Yeah?"

"I need a bath"

**.**

**.**

**.**

The shower was an experience in itself. It was embarrassing and Tsuna refused to open her eyes through the length of it. What with being sat on a stool, a plastic bag wrapped on her foot and a nurse helping her bathe; no one had helped her bathe except her mother when she was little. She hasn't even gone to the onsens with Kyoko and Hana, so it was really embarrassing.

But Tsuna felt clean and refreshed once it was done, and let the nurse wrap her injuries with new bandages. She missed the opportunity to peek at her hands, but no matter.

Once she was back in her bed, Dino remained by her side through the course of the day, telling her tales of his life and hinting that if she wanted to talk about her experience with Mukuro and the fight he was all ears, but Tsuna wasn't ready yet, so he didn't pry beyond that.

They had to hide all the goodies when the nurse came to bathe her, but once she was gone, they were showcased once again and she would treat herself once in a while.

It was going nice so far and she was thankful that no disaster had occurred. Thankfully, Romario took hold of Enzo before the turtle could crawl into the bath with her, so no Godzilla appeared.

So her sudden jump and squeak were justified when her door was thrown open and someone came yelling in.

"JUUDAIME!"

"Gokudera-kun!" She was expecting to see him sooner rather than later, but his unexpected appearance startled her.

"Forgive me! Attacking you like that! It's shameful as your right-hand man to fall for such tricks!" He cried, and Tsuna was horrified when he suddenly knelt next to her bed in repentance.

"I-It's okay, have a seat. Here, eat some cake" She ushered to sit on the bed, which he refused several times till she practically pulled him down. He made sure to sit close to the edge so he wouldn't disturb her injured leg though.

Dino handed her a plate with a slice of cake in silent amusement, at which she glared jokingly at him but offered it to the bomber who held it like a precious offering.

"I know it wasn't your doing. It was Mukuro. Besides, you did help me a lot. I used one of your dynamites to break free"

And he looked like his whole world was illuminated by her words, she had to blink at that happy stare. And just as Gokudera was going to take a bite of his cake, the door was thrown open again.

"SAWADA!"

"Who let you in? Stop disturbing Juudaime's rest!" The bomber shouted, pointing his fork back to the door with an offended look.

"I EXTREMELY MISSED THE FIGHT!" Ryohei ignored him as he walked inside, exclaiming loudly and raising his arms into the air.

"You didn't have teeth" Tsuna pointed out.

"They grew back!"

Dino had stood up and offered him a plate with cookies, at which Ryohei accepted wholeheartedly. He sat down on the chair and continued babbling about missing his chance to prove his worth.

Gokudera was reproaching him, telling him he wasn't needed while Tsuna reassured him that the threat was dealt with.

The boxer only looked at her with a flat stare for a second, obviously demanding the full version of the fight before he was back on devouring the cookies. At which the silver-haired boy scolded him, saying he was eating Juudaime's food despite him going for a second slice of cake.

Ryohei then asked if Kyoya tagged along, at which Tsuna winced. Not wanting to reveal his unfortunate loss at a fight. That will only make the boxer seek him in a one-sided companionship to comfort him that will, without doubt, rile the prefect to commit murder.

Gokudera had no qualms about it and blurted everything. Saying how despite being close on collapsing the prefect fought like a madman, and Ryohei expressed surprise at learning that he didn't get to finish the bad guy.

"It was Shamal's fault anyway" Gokudera said with a shrug.

"What do you mean?" Tsuna asked in wonder and confusion. Gokudera swallowed his mouthful of cake before turning to see her.

"The perverted doctor was at school, right? Somehow, someway, one of his mosquitoes bit the demonic prefect. It should have rendered him unconscious, it surprised me to see him fight for so long, crazy bastard" He muttered the last word with bitter annoyance and Tsuna smiled amused at that.

"Mosquitoes what?" Ryohei questioned, confused.

"Anyway, Shamal treated my wounds before going to Kokuyo. His mosquitos followed me and when I fought with him, they cured him"

"Huh…" She breathed out, because okay... that explained a lot.

"What do you mean mosquitoes can kill you!?" Ryohei exclaimed in panic as he sized the room in search of a buzzing insect. There were none, Tsuna made sure of that before taking a bath.

"I didn't say that, idiot! Shut up!"

"You guys are so loud, I can hear it from the other room" A new voice said from the door and Gokudera bristled at the sight of him.

"Not you too!" Gokudera bemoaned and quickly stood up to try to push him out of the room, but Yamamoto only laughed at his attempt.

Ryohei yelled his greeting while Gokudera kept cursing at him, and he greeted them back cheerfully until his eyes landed on her.

It was the gaze of a kicked puppy asking to be let in and it made her heart squeeze.

"Want some cookies?" She asked him and was rewarded with a huge smile.

At her words, Gokudera reluctantly let him inside and quickly took his place back in the bed next to her. Yamamoto helped himself with a plate of cookies and a muffin, and eagerly told his version of the fight to Ryohei.

Gokudera grouchily went back to his cake, muttering about annoying disturbing people. Tsuna only patted him on the back at that.

Ryohei was amazed at what he was hearing and quickly expressed his thoughts loudly, making Yamamoto laugh and Gokudera to shout at them to be quiet.

So of course, it happened. Tsuna only had time to hide her face with a pillow when the door was slammed open yet again and a murderous aura enclosed the room.

"Shut up! I will bite you to death!"

It was chaos after that and Tsuna concluded that yes, this was her life. Craziness unfolding without reason with good moments happening in between.

Backed to a corner and enjoying a piece of cake they manage to save, the two forgotten adults watched the show with amusement and slight mortification.

"Kids" Dino said, at which Romario couldn't help but smile.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Finally, after three days of being cooped inside the hospital room, Tsuna was given the green-light to go home, so long as she promised to wear the boot and not to disturb her ribs any further. Shamal will stop by later in the week to remove the stitches from her chin, so other than that she was going to use tons of makeup to hide the bruises loitering in her skin.

Dino had lent her his phone so she talked with her mom again and reassured her she was coming home soon, as well as contacting Kyoko in the sudden need of makeup and concealing. They were meeting at the park before the brunette headed home, that would also give her time to gather the courage she needed.

After Kyoya came and bit everyone to death, the guys were rushed to their own rooms by an angry nurse. Tsuna was left with the aftermath of the battle, but at least no cakes or cookies were injured in the squabble.

Leon came crawling into her pillow by the time night rolled, and she played with the lizard for a while, letting her fingers pet and curl around his tiny form until sleepiness took her. She dimly wondered where her woollen gloves had gone to. Were they destroyed along by the flames? She wondered but didn't dare to ask the dark figure hiding in the wall.

Dino came by one last time, and with a gentle goodnight, he was gone by the time she woke up.

Life was moving forwards and it suddenly gained a monotone look to it now that she was returning home after surviving a suicide situation.

She was standing by the window, enjoying the air and contemplating on her thoughts when the grim reappear came knocking at her door. Only that he didn't really knock, he walked inside and settled by the bedside table to collect Leon.

"Tsuna"

She resisted the urge to flinch by gripping the window frame. She knew she was being a brat, but she didn't know how else to calm the hot bubbly feeling inside of her.

"Ignoring me is childish, and you know it"

"I don't want to talk to you" She muttered.

"You couldn't do anything Dame-Tsuna. It wasn't in your power"

"But you could have!" She exclaimed as her resolve crumbled and turned to face him once the card was laid down "Vongola can. Mukuro is innocent! He doesn't deserve being thrown into prison!"

"Whatever his reasons were, he murdered people, Tsuna"

"So are you an innocent little lamb now?!"

"Tsuna!"

She flinched, feeling like a scolded child. Sure, she had spats with the hitman before, annoyance vs frustration, but this was real. This was a real argument fueled by anger and resentment. She could feel her eyes stinging but held her tears back. The last thing she wanted was to show more weakness in front of him.

"He was on the blacklist, if you opposed and created a ruckus, they could have taken you too as his sidekick" The Hitman explained as calmly as he could "I couldn't let that happen"

"It's not fair" She sat down on the bed, facing away from him.

"Get used to it. You will face this feeling many times in the future" His tone wasn't cruel but his words rang true in the space between them "You need to learn how to handle situations where you won't be in power to do what you want"

"What I want…" She said bitterly. Because yeah, she was never going to get what she wanted, right?

She sighed in her hands and clenched her eyes tight to pull herself together. She wanted to lie down and curl her sorrows away. She wanted to walk and pace her anxiety out. So many things she wanted but was she free to have them?

"I don't know if I can keep doing this... I'm getting attached and people are starting to get hurt because of you"

Reborn turned to face her with a frown at her admission. This was turning southwards quickly with the brunette directly blaming him for the misfortunes happening.

He gave her space this past few days, but that didn't mean he didn't watch her. He saw all the interactions with the guardians, and he was puzzled and crossed at the inner conflict happening between them.

"Why did you offer Gokudera your friendship and refused Yamamoto's?" He asked.

"Because Gokudera knows the risks" She confessed tiredly "He knows anything can happen, and he is ready for it, he is ready to kill Reborn, I can see it in his eyes."

She lowered her hands from her face but her gaze remained downwards.

"No matter if you tell me that Yamamoto's father was a hitman, Yamamoto isn't. He will break once someone close to him dies, he will falter when he has to kill, and he will die when he can't choose a side. Ryohei is no different, his love for his sister and his thrill for a fight is blinded. If something happens to Kyoko, he will break"

Reborn watched her confess her inner thoughts, he let her blurt out everything she was holding down. He didn't move when she sprang up and started limping all over the room.

"Lambo is just a child! And you want to bring him to this crusade!? We almost died! Things are going to get worse, how is he going to help? How is he going to survive?"

Tsuna exclaimed, her body was shivering and she was trying to swallow the tears that threatened to fall over the imbalance of her emotions. She didn't care about the repercussions of her words, knowing very well that Reborn could turn on her. But it had to be done, she was just tired of keeping her fears and anxiety inside.

"I offered Gokudera friendship because I needed it. It wasn't pity. I saw in him a potential ally. Someone who would aid me. Myself. Not you or Vongola, Me"

"So you patronize him to use him?" He retorted, a bit surprised at learning his student new colours.

"Maybe" She glared at him despite her shoulders falling tiredly "But who are you to judge me? You are using them to fit roles as guardians when they don't even know the whole truth. How is that any different?"

"Tell me the truth, Tsuna. Were you going to use Fuuta?"

He had to ask because seeing this new face of the girl was startling. He knew she wasn't lying, not right now. So what else was a lie? What else was an illusion she created for her own benefit?

She refused him from the beginning and yet embraced all his teachings. She refused to bond with anyone and yet she welcomed them silently. It was maddening and disturbing seeing a Sky so out of nature, but there was something else. Something that riled him without reason and pulled him towards the brunette.

Tsuna for her part chose to remain silent and let him interpret it as he wanted. One more word and she was sure her facade will crumble.

Reborn remained in silence for some time, analyzing her while she tried to keep her breathing in check. Her shoulders shook once in a while by a force repressing shivers and sobs stuck in her chest no doubt.

The day they met, they sealed their agreement as a game. With the brunette withstanding harsh treatment from his training and breaking her shell of comfort for whatever reason she decided to go along.

Now here she was, standing before him with bare wounds, and she wanted out.

"I told you since the beginning, it's in your blood, you can't run away from it. You are the only heir left Dame-Tsuna, you can't escape from this"

"So my say in this doesn't matter?" She stumbled forward with glassy eyes "I don't want to be a Mafia Boss, Reborn"

"Why not?" He asked, trying to search for answers in her face but she was giving him none "You are not scared of being part of the Mafia. In fact, you seem as if you were already involved in it before I got here. Getting stronger and getting allies, what are your reasons for doing this then?"

Tsuna stared down at him, wide eyes shining with unshed tears and a shuddering breath that left her feel broken inside. Reborn could feel something cold burning his skin when he caught a glimpse of what was hidden there.

The Power. The Knowledge. The Freedom.

"Because I'm selfish"

And at that moment, he saw.

The honey shadows hiding in her tearful eyes.

And god damn it.

He knew.

He knew the brunette was a broken person in a broken world.

He knew the brunette’s survival instincts pushed her away from socialization and rational thoughts.

He knew the brunette would lie, kill and break people to have her way.

Just as she would fight, consume and destroy to save.

And it was oh so tempting.

The desire to train a tainted soul, to mould it into his perfect weapon. His alone.

The thrill was so intense, Reborn could feel it.

That crazy pull towards her Sky flames.

"There's darkness in you, Tsuna"

She side glanced at him, humour and acceptance dancing in her orange-tinted eyes. A stare he wouldn't back down from. Never in his lifetime.

"Welcome to the Mafia, Reborn"

**.**

**.**

**.**

And just like that, he knew he was stuck.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Shamal was not having a great week.

It was horrible and filled with disaster, he was at a prestigious Japanese hospital and so far, he had only managed to get 3 numbers from young nurses. Other than that, scoldings and puke in his shoes was all he got.

Finding out the Decimo kid was a girl and that he almost saw her shirtless in front of the hitman - the very same hitman who threatened in very colourful ways that he was to check the brat without even touching more than he was asked - was maddening.

At least now he knew why the kid was pretty. What with mixed blood of a Japanese woman and an ancestry of Italian genes through her father's side, mafia genes no less.

He felt kind of sorry for the dark world.

That girl will go places, what with not only Reborn teaching her but she also has Bianchi to look up to. And that woman took no shit from him, she was ruthless and beautiful and deadly but sexy too. A perfect hitwoman and he could clearly see the path the brunette will be walking then on with those two in her life.

After he was exiled from her room, he washed his shoes and ran to take some tests through the data he collected over the past days.

Seeing is believing, but the results from her tests made him feel disturbed.

It shouldn't be possible, but then again... this phenomenon was so rare in their world, there wasn't much data recollected to compare. It didn't lessen the danger it could entail though, which is why he waited another day to run more tests once the brunette was feeling better and managed to take some blood under the watchful stare of the hitman from somewhere in the room.

The answers were perplexing. Which is why he was pacing along the corridor, waiting to catch Reborn before he left to explain the matters he was dealing with.

He stopped his walking when Tsuna briskly emerged from her room with a hand rubbing under one of her eyes. Her injuries were better but the doctor in him felt antagonized by the quick way the brunette limped away from the door.

Morning teenager or moody teenager, he didn't want to mess with either one. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head before he marched forwards and knocked on the door. He opened it, hoping the hitman was still inside. And good, he was. Staring at the window with a tense posture, oh joy...

"Reborn… You might have a problem"

"What?" And he sounded so tired and angry, Shamal was reminded of a father whose unruly child just rebelled against him and wasn't sure if he should throttle or ground them. Knowing the hitman, he would probably do both with double punishment. But that's beside the point.

"Have you been training the Decimo kid to withstand the Sky flames?"

"Who do you take me for? I don't do things at half" He snarled, his squeaky voice did nothing to soothe the rage and indignation it carried. It made Shamal raise his hands and step back from whatever mess just occurred between him and the brunette.

"Right, of course you don't"

"What is it Shamal?" He asked in exasperation, for it has been a long week for him too. Babysitting the kids on their first official mission as a group, losing sight of his charge and finding her almost losing hope was stressful.

Witnessing the girl waking her Sky flames was glorious, watching her fight was satisfactory and seeing her win on her terms was an achievement. Because that was her Will and it was shining bright.

So after what just happened, learning that her Will was tainted no matter how pure and raw her flames were was baffling.

All he wanted was a good cup of espresso and some time to plot schemes of torture for the brunette's cheekiness on daring to talk back at him. He wasn't in the mood to deal with any of the doctor's theatrics, which is why his thoughts came to a halt when Shamal's serious stare landed on him.

"It's gone" The doctor confessed tiredly "All the fat and muscles her body built up is gone, her flames ate it up"

"...What?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I leave you with more questions. Sorry, not sorry.
> 
> Kudos for those who figure out what's going on, but I won't tell you who's right or wrong. Do let me know your theories!
> 
> Cheers!✨


	14. Going under

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, y'all!
> 
> It’s February! We already are minus one month in the year, we can do this! But please don't let your guard down, stay safe!!
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter~

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was a long tedious walk from the hospital.

Being coped inside that building made the brunette a stupid stubborn and refused to use a cab to get home.

Gokudera tried and almost pleaded the brunette for him to carry her the minute she blatantly refused the crutches and wheelchair the nurses almost forced on her as she made her way out of the doors, but she said no. So the bomber was next to her in every step, hands outstretched and ready to catch her if she were to fall.

Yamamoto was carefreely walking beside them, humming to himself and tugging at Gokudera's shirt to pull him whenever he was close to slipping past the walk side and into the road. Any other time the Italian boy would explode and bat that hand away, but not when his whole focus was on the girl limping across the street.

Their other company disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Ryohei had been discharged early in the morning and he went for a jog to celebrate his healthiness. No one seemed to have the energy to stop him, and as soon as the doors opened he was gone with his yells being the only clue as to the direction of where he went.

And Kyoya, Tsuna didn't know where he went but she was sure he sneaked out of the hospital before he was allowed to. Lucky him, she thought grimly.

The nurses were glad to be rid of them all, it was kind of embarrassing as they walked out and had the doors closed behind them with stinky glares for all the ruckus they caused. She was actually surprised nothing was broken nor destroyed during their stay, and she prayed not to return to that place even though she was sure she would sooner than later.

Now that the danger was over and they were free to do what they wanted, the next hardship was to make the boys go home without her. It's not like she didn't want their company, but she really needed to be alone even if it was just for a minute.

The horror of their almost death experience had finally settled in and what was left was a bitter taste and a hollow feeling.

With Dino leaving and Reborn not talking to her after their not-really-a-fight argument, not having seen her mom for days and all the coddling these boys were doing was suffocating her.

It's been 15 minutes since they reached the park and both boys still refused to leave, coming up with new excuses and worries as they dragged the inevitable. It was cute, she had to admit, but a bit annoying if only because she wasn’t used to someone looking after her.

"You sure it's okay to leave you here?" Yamamoto asked, worry framing his face but was finally reluctant to follow the brunette's wishes after her fifth dismissal.

"No, it's not! Juudaime, please let me walk you home" Gokudera on the other hand, still insisted.

"It's alright. I promised Kyoko I would meet her here"

"But Juudaime, it could still be dangerous to be alone. And you need to rest"

"I'll be fine" She reassured him for the umpteenth time while pointing a finger to one of the park trees "Reborn is up there and the girls will be here any minute. I want you guys to rest, Yamamoto your father must be worried and you, you need to relax"

She stabbed her finger on the Italian's shoulder to make a point, knowing very well his body was littering with cuts and bruises that have yet to heal.

"If you say so" Yamamoto shrugged his good shoulder.

"But-

"Hey, it's okay" Tsuna grabbed his shoulders gently and looked him in the eyes "Let's meet tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, Juudaime!" He accepted wholeheartedly and Tsuna was positively sure the bomber would be at her house before the sun was up.

"Get some rest, both of you"

"You too, Tsuna"

Waving as both boys made their way out of the park, turning every now and then to look back at her until they disappeared at the corner of the streets, Tsuna sighed heavily and made her way towards the swings, where she proceeded to sit on one of them.

It was a great relief to put her injured foot to rest. Although harbouring just a sprain and wearing the boot that helps immobilize the injured area and offer comfort while walking, it still hurt. Once her mother saw it, she was sure she would be stuck in bed for the rest of the weekend. And it was the only upside of it all, it was Friday, she had three more days of rest before she was shipped to the school to face normality once again.

Sighing once more, she tilted her head up to the sky. The vast blue canvas looked infinite, it seemed to go on and on with no bounds. It made her feel caged, here on land and chained to a fate forced on her. How can she find freedom in a world that is so adamant about choosing for her? How can she escape temptation if she can't even walk on her own?

The sound of footsteps approaching and soft chatter made her snap back to reality. Right, dismissing the boys was hard, but dismissing the worry of the girls was going to be harder than that. Tsuna only managed to straighten her back when Kyoko stopped at the entrance of the park with wide eyes as she saw her sitting by the swings.

"Please don't say anything" She placated quickly, raising both hands in surrender.

"I'm here too! Oh my god! What happened to your pretty face!?" Haru appeared next to the orange-haired girl and gasped loudly while pointing to her injuries.

"I got beaten"

"How dare they harm a lady? Where are they!? I'm going to kick them!"

"Haru-chan, the smoothie" Kyoko said as she walked towards the brunette.

"Oh, right" Haru snapped back from her fuming thoughts and happily handed the sitting brunette a cold yellow plastic cup with a red straw. "Here, Tsuna-san. This is for you! Kyoko-chan mention you liked mango smoothies so I brought one for you"

"T-Thank you" The brunette accepted it with wide eyes, staring at the mood swings of the other girl.

"You’re welcome" Haru smiled cheerfully and sat on the other swing while Kyoko knelt in front of her and started rummaging inside a small makeup case she was carrying.

"Is it bad?"

"I didn't lose any teeth"

"Tsuna-chan" The orange-haired girl reproached with hands on her hips and a stern look in her eyes.

"Sorry" Tsuna cringed at her own words "They are just superficial. No broken bones"

"That's good" Kyoko huffed softly and opened a foundation cream "I haven't seen you this ruffle since… I actually haven't seen you this bad before"

"Sorry"

"Don't apologize. The good thing is that you're safe. Now let's see those bruises"

"Will the makeup be enough to hide them?" She asked, worried about her mother finding out.

"It's waterproof, so it should do the trick. I don't know about your chin though, I think it will scar"

"Oh! I have the same scar! See? It's a universal scar!" Haru pointed her chin while she tilted her head up. Both girls stared until they managed to discern a small white line, different in colour from the girl's skin running horizontally at the bottom of his chin.

"How did you get that?"

"Playing hockey!"

"Hockey?"

"Yeah. Dad wanted me to focus my energy in a sport, so I joined the hockey team but one day I tripped on ice and slit my chin" Haru told them cheerfully as she recalled the memory and Tsuna recalled how she was persecuted around town with the other girl wanting to beat her with a hockey stick.

They chattered about mindless things while Kyoko helped hide the bruises, catching up on what happened in school and around town while she was at the hospital. Nothing important to miss, but she still lost days doing nothing but be afraid and feel bitter.

"All done!" Kyoko clapped her hands as she inspected her handiwork.

"Thanks"

"At least be glad Hana-chan couldn't come"

"Uh… Lucky" Tsuna grimaced. They didn't part on good terms, Tsuna probably alarmed the other girl with her rambling of lies and tears. Missing school and returning with injuries will only upset her further, and she is sure she will receive a lecture from the raven-haired girl when she returns to school.

"What are you going to tell your mom?" Kyoko asked with a worried frown and she helped Tsuna stand. The brunette would have refused the help, but she was busy holding a delicious smoothie in one hand so her balance was a bit off at the moment.

"That I fell…"

"You can say that I pushed you!" Haru was at her side in seconds and before anyone blinked, she pushed the brunette's shoulders, making her stumble forwards and if it weren't for Kyoko's still holding her arm and Haru's grip on the back of her shirt, she would have fallen to the ground. Thank god the smoothie was fine.

"Haru-chan!" Kyoko exclaimed.

"What? See? I pushed you, so it's the truth" Haru stepped back with a half apologetic smile "Now let's go home, Tsuna-san. You need to rest!"

"That surprised me" She said with wide eyes, mentally cursing what Reborn was probably thinking too. She let her guard down, she has been relying on her instincts for so long, Haru's unexpected attack went unnoticed.

The walk home was calmer after that with no more surprise attacks. Tsuna enjoyed her fruity blend and listened to the girls talk about a cake shop they wanted to take her to. Tsuna remembered the surprise tea-party Hana talked about, and she also remembered said shop allowing you to pet animals. After everything that happened, she was all up for it.

As they approached the familiar neighbourhood, Tsuna could feel an oppressive feeling forming on her chest. She was anxious and nervous to face her mom, to see Fuuta and eventually talk with Reborn. Was it too late to ask for a sleepover? But no, she really couldn't prevent the inevitable.

If Kyoko felt the brunette tense as Haru went ahead to open the door of her house, she didn't mention. She merely patted her arm, in a silent way of encouraging. Tsuna swallowed deep and nodded to herself.

"I'm home" She called and footsteps could be heard coming from the kitchen as she was attacked by a nostalgic and delicious smell of homemade food.

"Welcome back" Nana rushed to the door, but her stance wavered as she took her in "Oh Tsu-chan"

"It's alright, Mom. I fell, it's not broken. Just two more days with this boot"

"Sorry, Sawada-san! I pushed Tsuna-san, I didn't know she was fragile" Haru said at her side, bowing in apology. Tsuna tried her best not to react at that because... she? fragile? Kyoko, at her side, swallowed a giggle.

"Well, I'm happy you girls are getting along. Heavens knows Tsu-chan needs to go out more"

"Mom"

"How are the boys? Bianchi returned not too long ago"

"They are fine, we were almost kicked out of the hospital by their outbursts"

"All that matters is that you all made it back home" Her mother smiled, it was a smile full of love and relief, it made her eyes sting.

"Y-yeah"

"Would you girls be kind and help Tsuna-chan up to her room? I will bring dinner up, dear"

"I can walk"

"I prefer you don't" Her mother waved at her, a stern yet soft look entering her eyes, making her know she lost the fight the moment she walked through the door. Tsuna sighed and nodded. She limped up the stairs, with the girls guarding her back in case she slips. But the boot was actually quite comforting and a great stabilizer, the limping was all due to the unbalanced heel it ported.

"Wow, this is your room? It's too clean" Haru awed as she stepped inside her room, marvelling the art hanging on the walls and the messy desk by the window. "Tsuna-san, you paint?"

"Huh? Yeah. It's a hobby" Tsuna said. She was tempted to just fall on her bed but her ribs were still protesting whenever she made a sudden movement, so she didn't want to risk it. But as soon as she sat on her comfy bed, she could feel tiredness sinking into her bones.

"It's beautiful!" Haru exclaimed as she raised an unfinished painting. Tsuna started it before the Mukuro fiasco, but as training and running and anxiety swept in, she forgot to finish it.

"Tsuna-chan should open a gallery"

"Oh! And we can help design the space and invitations!"

"You like designing?" Tsuna asked the other brunette, who continued admiring her artwork loitering her room.

"I do! I'm into fashion design. Tsuna-san could be my model"

"No, thanks" She replied right away, making Kyoko giggle and Haru pout.

"Baka-Tsuna!"

A loud shout came from outside her room, and the brunette quickly opened her arms to catch the dashing white ball that came barrelling towards her.

"Lambo!" She exclaimed in surprise, her air leaving her after he collided into her chest and disturbed her bruised ribs by his tight grip on her.

"Where were you!? You can't leave without me! That's not how a lackey works!"

"Lambo! Tsuna no lackey!" Ipin came rushing right behind him and tried to pull him off her.

"Shut up! She's my lackey!"

"Goodness, you two" She sighed as they started arguing.

"Your house sure is rowdy, Tsuna-chan"

"Tell me about it" She huffed and tried to untangle Lambo from her "Are you guys staying for dinner?"

"I don't want to impose! I feel bad now because I pushed you and told your mom" Haru said, looking sheepish and apologetic by sticking her tongue out and rubbing her neck.

"She's gonna make you anyway"

"I'll go help her" Kyoko stood up.

"Oh, me too! Um... " Haru paused, not knowing if she should stay or go. Tsuna found it funny, it's not like she needed to ask permission.

"It's alright" She told her, and Haru quickly went after Kyoko.

"Baka-Tsuna, you have an ugly spider in your face" Lambo said pointing to the black wire there.

"They're stitches. No, don't touch them"

She should cover them with gauze, but it was itchy so she took it out as soon as she was out of the hospital. Probably not the best idea, for it could get infected. She mentally reminded herself to clean it after taking a bath.

"Were you guys good while I was away?"

"Of course I was, Baka-Tsuna!"

"Ipin help, house!"

"Really? Thank you" She smiled at them and pointed towards the corner of the room "Can you guys get the table?"

They rushed towards it, eager to help. Tsuna leaned back, amused by it and how they tried to set the table. Her lips parted in a silent sigh as she turned to the open door where a little figure was standing by.

"Hey" She said softly.

"You're back"

"I promised, didn't I?" She beckoned him when he remained by the door, looking at his shoes. But once she reached out for him, he dashed towards her and wrapped his arms in a hug. She huffed a gasp of pain, but quickly masked it when Fuuta sniffed.

"Thank you"

"Now, now. Don't let Lambo see you or he won't stop bullying you" Tsuna ruffled his hair as he rubbed his eyes.

"He's a snotty kid"

"You're also a kid"

"Yeah, but I didn't steal your colour pencils while you were gone"

"Then it's a good thing you're here. You can help me control the craziness"

"You can count on me" Fuuta smiled, happy.

"Good"

"Food's ready!" Haru came carrying empty plates and cups followed by Kyoko carrying a platter of side dishes "Ara, another kid?"

"This is Fuuta" Tsuna pointed towards him.

"Hello"

"Aw, you're so cute" Haru smiled as she set the table, getting help from Ipin and making her blush by Haru's sweet words.

"Move, bookworm! I'm sitting next to Baka-Tsuna"

"Lambo! No mean words!"

"But I got here first"

"Move!"

"No!"

"Mama!"

"Shut up" A flying kick made Lambo fall to the ground, and Tsuna gripped her bed when the baby hitman finally made his entrance.

"R-Reborn?!"

"You're loud, idiot"

"Gotta-Keep-Calm"

"Now, now. Let's not fight, it's too early" A lazy but soothing voice said from the doorway, and Tsuna turned to see Bianchi entering with some napkins and chopsticks. She was half glad it wasn't food, otherwise, it would be poisoned and uneatable.

"Come on everyone, let's eat!" And finally, her mother came in carrying a steaming pot. The table was quickly set and soon everyone was enjoying a warm meal filled with chatter and laughter in between.

It seemed so alien to Tsuna, she had to stop mid-bite to stare at it all. A few months ago, lunch and dinner consisted of only her and her mother at the kitchen table, talking about school and the town, and what to do on the weekend. Simple things, trivial things.

Then one plate was added, followed by two, then three. The table became full and chatter about simple and trivial things gained more meaning. Even if the kids were loud, and Reborn bullied them -including her-, and Bianchi accidentally poisoned their food, it felt… nice. It's a warm experience to have when returning home after a long day.

Her lips twitched when Lambo tried to steal Fuuta's food but was intercepted by Reborn. Nana laughed and offered Lambo some Italian side-dish as consolation. Her mother truly outshined herself, having made a meal that consisted of both Asian and Italian dishes to welcome everyone home.

Home.

At her side, there was a soft sound of giggling and she turned to see Kyoko hiding a smile behind her food.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked the orange-haired girl.

"It's nothing" Kyoko smiled.

**.**

**.**

**.**

After their delicious meal, everyone helped clean up -Tsuna at least was allowed to pick up the empty dishes but eventually had to hand them to Bianchi for she wasn't allowed to walk down the stairs- and stayed for a while watching tv before the sun set.

The girls said their goodbyes, thanking Nana for the food and promising to visit soon. Kyoko placed the small makeup case inside one of Tsuna's drawers while everyone was cleaning up, and she was thankful for it. She didn't wear makeup and didn't know how to use it, but after seeing Kyoko apply it on her bruises made her realize it wasn't that different from painting so it didn't seem difficult to try.

The kids stayed in her room watching tv and colouring books. Mostly Lambo was telling her everything she missed while she was gone. Cake, ice-cream, aliens, snow and apparently some golden ghost visiting her room. Tsuna nodded and played along, feeling childish after a good day. They wanted to have a slumber party in her room, but eventually, Nana came and ushered them away so that Tsuna could rest.

She was helping her get to bed, while she was allowed to sleep without the boot, they didn't want to risk her ankle getting tangled on the bedsheet, so it remained. After a few minutes of arranging the bed, Nana noted a missing presence from the room.

"Reborn-kun isn't sleeping here?" Her mother asked and when there was no answer, she turned to see her daughter hugging a pillow and pursing her lips "Tsu-chan?"

"We… had a fight. Kind of?"

"Tsuna-chan"

"He started it! And… And I was so mad and sad, we said things and yeah…"

"I know it's hard" Nana approached her and sat next to her on the bed "I know having someone suddenly appear and change things is hard. But I truly believe Reborn-kun can and will help you. No matter who sent him, he is here for you"

"I'm not apologising first" She grumbled, feeling shame and guilt brewing inside of her.

"Don't take long dear" Her mother kissed her head before she stood up to head to her own room.

"I'm sorry I worried you"

"I'm just glad you're home. You and Fuuta" She said and at night when the low light shadowed what was usually hidden at day, Tsuna was able to see the stress marks on her mother’s face, the lines around her eyes and the tired weight on her shoulders. It made her feel sad, knowing her mother was hurting inside.

Despite her best efforts to keep the darkside away, hiding things and getting injured, she knew it was impossible not to make her worry. And she knew, oh she knew things were going to get worse. But what scared her the most was that she didn't know the future for them, there were no dreams or voices or feelings regarding her mother.

It should be alarming, but all Tsuna could feel in her mind was a deep sense of strength with a pang of sadness. Her mother truly was a strong woman despite appearances, always hiding her pain and loneliness with a smile. And she wanted to treasure it and protect it, carrying that strength and love like a shield.

Maybe she shouldn't fear the future; instead, they just needed to live in the present.

Coming home to a warm meal and a heartfelt greeting was truly a blessing, talking about trivial things and wishing each other goodnight felt welcoming. It made her wish for tomorrow to come and live new things and experience such happiness again and again.

More than anything in the world, she wanted to soothe her mother's pain, to take her worries away and live a happy life together.

Mafia boss or not, Tsuna will fight to keep her home safe. That was her Will.

"Mom"

Nana paused at the door, turning to look at her daughter with a soft smile, one Tsuna returned sincerely from the heart.

"Thank you"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Hey, Ipin. Do you have Fon’s number?"

"Master?"

"Yes, I'd like to talk to him. Can you help me?"

"Ipin, can! Will search number"

"Thank you"

She was finally returning to school. Oh, the misery.

The weekend went by peacefully, they spent it in contentment playing board games and watching tv. Her mother didn't let her get up from bed unless it was necessary, so she made use of the privilege and spent the whole weekend resting and catching up to homework. Or at least tried.

"What business do you have with that street vendor?" Reborn asked -more like demanded - her to answer.

They were back to talking, though she remained stiff and short in answers and he didn't press as often as he did. Being a brat just seemed to anger him more and it was a surprise he hasn't punished her. He was saving his revenge. She just knew it.

"He said something about meditation, I would like to try"

"Are you getting nightmares again?"

"Not exactly…" She mumbled as she fixed her hair in a high pony-tail "They aren't nightmares, just this…feeling. My head hurts a lot and I'm having trouble focusing"

"Shall I give you a reason to focus?"

"I'll like to try with Fon, thanks"

"tch" Did he just click his tongue? Tsuna could feel one of her eyes threatening to twitch as she tried her best to focus on her hair to prevent any expression from showing on her face.

"Be careful who you place your trust, Tsuna. You never know who will backstab you"

"I knew that since you came knocking at my door"

Talking back with bitter remarks just seemed to come out naturally so she let them flow. Better to release her emotions than to keep them bottled up.

She could feel Reborn's murderous glare at her back as she hobbled down the stairs, but at least inside her house, she felt safe from any threat he might bring.

"Have some breakfast dear" Nana ushered her to eat something as soon as she walked into the kitchen. The kids were already eating breakfast at the table, why would they wake up so early if they had nothing else to do was a mystery to Tsuna.

They have talked about enrolling them into school, but without legal permission from their real guardians and no Japanese documentation, it was impossible. Though she was sure Kyoya could pull the strings to do just that. But it was impossible to ask at the moment after what just happened. Letting the beast cool down was the best approach before asking for things, she thought.

Eating a slice of bread, she eyed the clock on the wall that was signalling it was almost time to depart. The sentiment of anguish and nervousness swept into her body.

She truly didn't want to go. And it was silly to be scared of that when she owed no one any explanation or expectation. But the anxiety of what they might think and what they will say mocked her as the doorbell rang.

She gave her mother a half-smile as she dusted the crumbs out of her ironed school-uniform and limped towards the door.

Her foot didn't hurt at all, but her mother insisted on using the boot a few more days just in case. She actually didn't want to, it was bothersome, now more as she was returning to school. But how can she refuse her mother's wish for her well-being?

Shamal was going to stop by later today to see the status of her injuries. She just hoped the cut under her chin was already sealed to get rid of the black wire. It was really itchy and uncomfortable, not to mention very obvious.

"I'm going now" She called out.

"Have a good day dear"

"Baka-Tsuna, bring some candy!"

"Have a great day, Tsuna-nee!"

"She's not your sister, she's my lackey!"

"Boys, no fight!"

Shaking her head, she opened the door to see the figures of two boys waiting for her. They looked surprisingly refreshed after a weekend of good rest despite the bandages and bruises still visible on them.

Gokudera did good to his promise and visited her one day after they departed. Though he acted like a mother-hen, making sure she didn't move more than necessary and bringing her anything she needed, they spent the afternoon talking about sci-fi movies and practising Italian.

Living in another country while at a young age allowed any kid to soak and learn the native language like a sponge. Tsuna did know how to speak in Italian, but because it's been years since she left and had no one to talk to, she was rusty. Practising out of boredom and with no fear of making a mistake was a great entertainment.

It made her forget what had transpired and was going to happen, if only for a little while.

But nothing was inevitable. Yet as she stepped out of her house, she was greeted with wide smiles, ready to face whatever might come.

"Good morning, Juudaime!"

"Yo! Tsuna"

Right. She wasn't alone in this.

"Let's go"

It was time to face her fears.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I can explain"

Dread, anxiety and nervousness.

She was sitting on her knees, head bowed as Hana stood arms crossed in front of her with an angry frown on her face.

"It better be good"

"Um… there was this guy-

"And you acted like a stupid monkey and tagged along!?"

"I- uh… " Well she couldn't exactly explain the real reason, and any other excuse no matter how simple will just bring more speculations and whispers.

As soon as the trio walked through the gates, whispers and gossip spread like wildfire. There were talks about a gang fight, of a robbery gone wrong and even of vandalizing the streets. Some painted them as misfits, others like street thugs, and someone even called them gangsters. The last one wasn't that far from being Mafia-related.

When asked, their cover-up story was that they were unfortunately in the middle of a crossfire between their school and Kokuyo. As they weren't the only students injured in the past week due to these attacks - and because it was actually the truth without revealing the real truth - students seemed to buy it.

But rumours were rumours, and by lunchtime, a different story was being spread classroom through classroom.

The boys, especially the baseball team, crowded around Yamamoto expressing their worry and distress for another broken arm. It was hard to watch, harder when all she could do was listen to Yamamoto laugh it off and wave their worries away.

Gokudera would just glare and scare everyone away, ignoring the questions and worried glances from the girls.

To her relief, no one actually asked Tsuna what happened and that was okay. 

But…

Hana didn't even say anything, one glare from the girl had Tsuna falling to her knees.

She was a savage.

"Is it bad?" Asked the raven-haired girl after some minutes of tense silence.

"N-no. It doesn't even hurt"

"That monkey broke his arm, again. The other one is covered in bruises and you can't even lean without wincing, so you hurt your ribs, right? Just, in what mess did you get into?"

"Sorry"

She ducked her head down and away from that angry glance. Truly, Hana's ire scared her more than anything.

"It was an unfortunate event, Hana-chan. My brother and even Hibari-san were hurt in the crossfire. Somethings are just unexpected"

Kyoko, ever the angel, tried to soothe the situation with a calming smile. Hana huffed, not buying it but chose not to pursue any more information. She leaned down and helped the brunette get up without bothering her ribs or foot.

Tsuna was half tempted to ask the girl to come along with Kyoko and Haru to the cake shop, but decided not to try her luck at the moment. It's not like Hana would refuse, anytime Kyoko asked she tagged along.

Tsuna asking would mean she completely surrendered and admitted defeat on not needing help and thus making the raven-haired girl cuddle her like a mother hen, and neither girl's pride could allow that.

Swallowing dry, Tsuna turned slowly towards the door to make an escape.

"Sawada" Hana growl made her almost skip in her pace.

"Toilet" She quickly responded before practically launching herself out of the classroom and into the hallway.

It's not like she was running away, she was just tired of pretending not to hear everything else. The harsh glares and poisonous gossip were stabbing her like tiny ants under her feet.

"She looks so ugly"

"It's like she has a beard"

She blanked out the whispers and annoying giggles. If she could survive Reborn's scoldings and his torturous training, mocking words from pitiful girls were nothing to her. She still hasn't forgotten her soaked shoes, and it was all thanks to the boot that she didn't find another pair in her locker.

It was stupid, really. How childish people can be.

She preferred to deal with Mukuro again than to face jealous and brainless girls.

"Yo! Tsuna"

She turned her head back, startled to hear someone calling for her.

"Oh, hey" She was actually surprised it was him and not Gokudera who followed her. How Yamamoto managed to evade his teammates and fangirls was a mystery. Probably giving an excuse like 'I'm going to the restroom', she thought.

She was half thankful the hallway was deserted, what with lunchtime being almost over. If people saw them together rumours would just circulate and brew more gossip.

"How's the foot?" He's been asking her all day how she was feeling, despite him being with a broken arm.

"Better. Mom doesn't let me walk without the boot yet"

"Same with my pops. He won't even let me prepare sushi with one hand"

"We really worried our parents, didn't we?" She said tiredly, tugging her hair out of the ponytail and let it fall down.

"Yeah. But, hey, does your father-

"He doesn't" She quickly said, putting an end to the question before it was even formed.

"Tsuna" Yamamoto looked at her with confusion and slight pity.

In all his time knowing her, and even when he didn't, her father was a ghost-like figure in her life. She never talked about him, nor was he present in any important event. Being attacked and almost killed would make you think he would rush to be by her side, but not even his shadow appeared. And Tsuna seemed okay with it.

"You know, we should do something. For your dad and my mom. A picnic in the park, invite everyone. Something to forget the pain"

It was a distraction, a change of topic. But she truly means what she said. They all deserved a bit cheering up to forget the pain and worry surrounding them.

"Sounds like fun" Yamamoto said, agreeing with her with a smile.

They talked about what they could do, what food to bring and what games they could play. Maybe go by the riverbank, the weather was great to play in the water and stay fresh under the warm and sunny day.

They were walking slowly when the bell rang, signalling lunchtime was over and everyone should go back to their classrooms, but Tsuna had no intentions of doing so.

"You should go back" Tsuna said, pushing the boy gently to make him walk.

"Are you going to skip class?" He asked with a tiny frown.

"Maybe…" She pushed him again "Don't let me taint you. Go back to class, I'm just going to the nurse's office"

He wanted to argue and follow her, they both knew that. But in the end, he relent to her wishes.

"Okay. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Tell Gokudera not to worry"

She watched him go, smile fading as he turned left and disappeared through the corner of the hallway, giving her one last look.

She sighed and gripped her hair to move it to one side. Whatever was happening between them was hurting them. Tsuna could feel a pull but at the same time, a bitter push. She felt guilty whenever he tried to get closer and her emotions closed up in a barrier to reject him automatically.

It hurt, and she couldn't understand the push when she was already letting Gokudera and Haru in.

Keeping him near but not close was the safest option at the moment. But sooner or later there will be a confrontation and she just knew one of them would walk away with a broken heart.

"Sawada-san"

She snapped back to reality, she was doing that a lot lately. It was dangerous, she didn't need Reborn's chiding to understand that just because Mukuro's threat was over someone else could still hurt her. Not being aware of her surroundings, even if it was at school, was unacceptable. She needed to stop getting lost in her thoughts.

She quickly turned to see the person who called her. Her mind was quiet, the only source of comfort signalling there was no threat from the one who sneaked behind her. And she was half surprised - half relieved to see the boy in black uniform approaching her.

"Kusakabe-san! How are you? I didn't see you at the hospital"

"I took my rest at my family house" He said while rubbing his neck and Tsuna was glad to note there weren't that many injuries on him "Heard what happened though, you guys alright?"

"We, we are here…" She said while shrugging her shoulders. Truly, that was the best answer to sum up the situation.

"Yeah" He nodded in understanding and after a thought, he turned to see the folders he was carrying in his hand and raised them for the brunette to see "Can you do me a favour? Could you take these papers to the disciplinary office?"

"Oh? Are you hiding from Hibari-san?" She raised an eyebrow, accepting the task despite anything if only to have a legit reason to skip class.

"He's in a mood. Perhaps seeing you back in school might cheer him up" Kusakabe said, not feeling guilty at all if the brunette was walking to her grave.

"He's probably going to bite me to death" She grimaced and turned to walk slowly towards the Disciplinary Committee room.

She hasn't talked with Kyoya since that last time in the hospital, and after he interrupted her tea-party and bit them to death for their ruckus, she didn't know how far the red line she was walking.

Standing in front of the door, she didn't have the courage to knock. She simply opened the door slowly and quietly while holding the folders under her arm to keep them in place. She peeked through the small space and deemed it acceptable to slide the door even more when a chirping sound halted her movements and she had to blink when her eyes caught sight of something fluffy.

"Herbivore~ Herbivore~ "

"It's Hibari"

"Herbari~"

"Hibari"

"Hibari~Hibari~"

"Aw, that's the cutest thing I've ever seen you do!" Tsuna couldn't help it, she pushed the door open with a bang and limped forwards as quick as she could to gather the yellow ball of fluff into her hands.

"Who let you in?" Kyoya growled, glaring at her disrespect of entering without knocking.

"You didn't tell me you adopted this little fella. Oh, look he's injured" She pointed with one finger noting as one of his wings was wrapped in a piece of bandage. Peering closer at the little bird, she could recognize it as one of the birds that flock over Gokudera and her when the ugly pervert tried to attack them.

"Get out"

"Hello little guy, sorry if we hurt you. It's not bad, so you will fly soon! Yes, you will, oh you're so cute!"

"Cute~"

"If you coo one more time.." Kyoya stood up from his desk, glare turning darker.

"No need to be embarrassed, Hibari~"

"Hibari~ Hibari~" The bird chirped merrily, making Tsuna giggle.

"Why are you out of class?" The prefect sighed and sat down again, levelling the brunette with an inquisitive look.

"Oh, right. I was sent to give you this" She manoeuvred the folders out of her arms without releasing or harming the bird in her hands and let them fall directly into the desk. "So what's his name?"

"Get back to class or I will bite you to death" Kyoya said, grabbing the folders and opening one to read their content.

"But it's Math!"

"Now!"

She pursed her lips and lowered her hands to let the little bird jump over the desk and to a folded handkerchief. Once the bird was settled, she licked her lips and turned to walk out of the room, only to stop midway and turn back to see the boy frowning at the papers in his hand. It was clearly a bad time, but when did that stop her.

"Actually… I wanted to talk to you"

"Are you here to collect your debt?"

"Don't you owe me another?" She said jokingly, because in the end despite Kyoya's arduous battle, it was Tsuna who landed the last blow. She wasn't making fun of it nor was she intending to claim it. But she should have known better than to voice it aloud.

Her head pulsed and she could actually see red spots flaring her vision as her body dropped without thinking and crashed into the floor with a thud.

"What the hell?! Are you crazy?!" She screeched a second later once her mind processed what had happened, and she turned in horror to see a metal tonfa sticking in the wall behind her.

"You dodged"

 _C-Crazy Bastard_ , she thought with wide eyes, one hand gripping her chest and the other one on the side of the couch.

That could have easily been her head. She was never more thankful at her intuition acting like an alarm system that moved her body like a marionette. It was disturbing, but so long as it saved her skin, she was going to listen to it.

She exhaled a breath stuck in her chest and willed her limbs to uncoil from their tense position. Slowly, she flopped onto the couch with difficulty, nevermind the pain in her ribs, the shock of being attacked in plain day triggered her of the danger her life was in.

Though it was meant to hit, deep down Tsuna was sure the violent boy didn't mean harm despite how absurd that sounded.

However, the damage was done. Neither was in the mood to talk and the only peace offering was that she was still sitting on the red couch without another deadly missile being aimed at her head.

Holding back a sigh, she curled her legs up into a more comfortable position that released the stress from her ribs. Letting her head rest back, she contemplated what was to come.

She felt like a bird with clipped wings, trapped in a cage and unable to fly.

She was a candidate to become Vongola Decimo. A candidate. Meaning there was someone else competing too. The question was WHO, if there's supposed to be no one else but her. They were all dead.

Reborn was never going to warn her until it was too late, so after 'successfully' accomplishing a dangerous mission commissioned by the actual Boss, it was a fact that personnel from Vongola were going to drop by to see the miracle in the making. Or to end the threat before it lashes at them.

Like a pebble hidden beneath the softest cloud, the danger was concealed for those who remained ignorant of the truth. And only those who had a taste of the darkness the world was living in could feel the shadows lurking.

There was a storm brewing, a dangerous one.

Kyoya could feel it, she could feel it.

It was the only reason why he was anxious, wild eyes glaring at her and itching on not wanting to not let her out of his sight. But like the little injured bird at his side, he was never going to cage her, not until she healed, grew and learned on her own.

Her fingers trembled as they traced the rough texture beneath them, tracing shapeless patterns on the couch. They touched what was hidden there, a difference in texture caused by hurried hand-made stitches.

"Kyoya…"

He didn't answer, but he listened. He always does. If he accepted the words said and acted on them was another thing, but the point was that he was always going to be there, coming and going but always shadowing her with his wild fury.

"Don't get rid of this couch"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Two months went by and summer vacation appeared before anyone knew it.

Tsuna could not believe she passed all her subjects and was allowed onto the next grade with all the skipping and sleeping in class she pulled. But she was glad, even more when her mother happily cheered on her success.

The whole family was going on vacations to celebrate summer's good fortune. Apparently, Bianchi won some lottery tickets, and the prize was a voyage on a luxurious cruise. There were just four tickets, but one hour later, the whole house was packing their bags, Gokudera and Yamamoto included.

She didn't dare ask where she got the money to buy everyone else's tickets, happy to enjoy some relaxing time before the new semester started.

After escaping the dragon's lair that was the committee office, Tsuna was not surprised to see both boys waiting for her at the gate. Together they walked home, laughing and grimacing at all the gossip and rumours regarding their injuries.

Shamal had stopped by later that day to finally remove the stitches from her chin. And true and behold, there was a scar just like Haru's. Though it was meant to fade over time and if she used the right lotion it could diminish its discolouration. Bianchi was already making her bathe with exfoliating salts and milky lotions to protect her skin, so she wasn't actually worried about that.

Her boot was out after one more week using it. Though the hobo doctor advised keeping her ankle wrapped in bandages for two more days, just in case.

The poor doctor was squirming and close to sweating when he was holding her boney foot, it was really amusing. But it couldn't be helped, once the shock of finding out she was a girl passed, he was swooning and singing praises at her left and right. But one glare from Bianchi, one scold from Gokudera and Reborn's unblinking eyes at the back of his head were enough to shut him up.

And speaking of the hitman, Reborn returned to sleep in her room after the first weekend, but their interactions remained tense and on edge. He waited until her ribs stopped aching to throw her into a new training regime.

It was torture. Pure, sour torture.

Waking up at dawn to go for a run with the baby Hitman behind her in an electrical scooter yelling threats instead of encouragements, after school it was meditating on a rock while balancing on her butt with a knife at her back and before dinner, it was pushups while being questioned and tutored about school material and drilled on mafia étiquette.

One wrong move from her part and the sharp point of the knife could stab her, one stumble and she was forced to double her training, adding dodging pinecones while blindfolded and weight lifting. And this was him holding back.

They were walking on eggshells, it was like a bomb was threatening to explode any moment with them in the middle. But she didn't relent to his abuse, she bites back whenever she can and enjoys the little power she has over him.

He couldn't mess with her meals, so she was actually eating quite well. He couldn't mess with her 'lady time' so she spent as much as she could on the bath, it was mostly her just crying at her bad misfortune, but the alone time with the relaxing fragrance helped her soothe her mind and tired body.

She hasn't entered in HDWM since the fight with Mukuro.

And she was glad, whatever happened to her after that was a blur and when she woke up, she was weaker and dizzier than before. Having a rest of two months made her regain her energy and healthiness, if only for a bit.

But Reborn was oh so tempted to shoot her. Again and Again. It was her silent revenge that he couldn't while her body was weak. He didn't need to tell her, Shamal made it clear in his last visit that it was for the best until her body regained enough muscle to withstand such power.

The only drawback was the intense training to get it back.

A loud honking noise brought her back to reality and out of any unwanted thoughts. It was early in the morning and the sun was shining warmly upon them. They were waiting by the dock, in line to sign in their luggage to board the cruise with the kids loudly playing, impatient to set sail.

Luckily none of them seemed to suffer from seasickness. Tsuna has never travelled on a boat, but the voiceless feeling reassured her that it was going to be fine. She made true to her self-promise and started listening to her intuition more. It had saved her tons of times in school and training, but deep down she felt kinda bad that she was somehow cheating in life. But at this point whatever help was welcome.

She still had trouble distinguishing the whispers from the voices. Though both made her act in a way to achieve safety and success, she has come to classify them as different entities living in her head. One was loud and clear, while the other scraped the walls of her mind to be heard.

She shuddered at that, it was worrisome but she has no one to talk to. She had no means to contact Dino or anyone without her phone, and talking with Reborn would surely gain her a kick in the head.

Sighing, she stretched her arms up until her back popped. It was too early to have tense shoulders and this was meant to be a relaxing vacation, she reproached herself.

Fixing the straw hat Lambo made her wear in her head, she turned towards the boys at her side.

"I'm so excited! I've never been on a cruise before"

"You're like a little kid, so lame" Gokudera said, shaking his head and making the sunglasses he was wearing almost fall from the bridge of his nose.

"Are you sure your father couldn't come? We have tickets" She asked despite knowing the answer.

"This time of the year is really busy at the restaurant. I wanted to help there but he actually kicked me to come"

"Well, you pass to the next grade. I think we deserve this celebration" She couldn't hide the giggle that escaped her. Truly, both she and Yamamoto pulled a miracle to pass all their subjects with no remedial classes.

His arm healed after a month, but to the surprise of everyone, he didn't return to the baseball team. It was his sabbatical year, he said. Instead, he dedicated his free time hanging out with Gokudera and her and doing some arm work in the dojo under his father's vigilance.

He hasn't wielded a sword since his fight with the beast boy, but he prepared and trained his muscles nonetheless if the occasion called for it. It was a waste of time, Gokudera would say. He was grumpy whenever the other boy tagged along and tried his best to avoid him whenever the occasion occurred.

Though Tsuna had seen them interact more the past couple of days. It was amusing how not even Gokudera's darkest threat could teeter Yamamoto's good mood.

They did have a picnic by the riverside, even the girls and the kids were invited. It was such a peaceful day despite the loudness that came with it. Just playing around without the shadow of the Mafia on them, eating delicious sushi and watermelon and lighting some small fireworks sticks. It was a good wrap up after the Kokuyo fiasco, everyone left with light hearts and spirits.

And yet, as they all walked away to their respective homes and woke up the next day, it was like they all knew that tranquillity and peace wouldn't last forever.

And so here they were, a vacation to celebrate summer and family time and all Tsuna could feel was like the christening for new troubles.

"Baka-Tsuna, come on!" Lambo tugged at her hand when the waiting line started to move.

"Watch your steps, okay?" She told him, worried that with all his jumping and excitement he could fall to the sea. She wouldn't put it past some misfortune like that to happen.

"If you fall, you're shark food" Gokudera said at her said, taunting the poor child like he has done the previous months.

"Stop being mean to Lambo-sama! Bow down, Ahodera!"

"I don't think sharks eat cows" Fuuta commented from his place in front of them, he had a thinking face but his words were meant to be snarky.

"Fuuta" Tsuna scolded him lightly but her lips twitched on a smile. Before Lambo could scream in fury and indignation, Yamamoto laughed and scooped him up. His arm had healed neatly thanks to Shamal doings and his dedication to his rehabilitation was helping along.

"There, there. We can have lots of fun once on board, so let's be careful now, okay?"

"Okay" Yamamoto was like magic, one smile-one word and he could calm even a crying Lambo.

"Tsuna-chan, do you have your tickets?" Her mom called from the front line, handing her own ticket along with I-pin's to the guard in charge.

"We have them, mom!" She yelled back, already searching in her pocket.

"One at the time, place your luggage here" The security guard called and they did as they were told, signing their luggage at the assigned post and then walking over the ramp to hand in their tickets to board the cruise. They had to walk one at the time so that they could verify their tickets, but because other tourists were quicker in leaving their luggage, they broke their order in line.

Bianchi boarded first, followed by her mother who looked back to make sure the brunette was on her sight. Tsuna smiled at her from her place in line to reassure her before they went in. Reborn and Ipin were with them and after another family boarded, they were next.

Gokudera got pushed first much to his dislike and Yamamoto was hurried by Lambo, so they were right behind them. Fuuta remained by her side, holding her hand and swinging them in excitement as their turn to board was coming next.

Just then, there was a strong salty breeze that blew over their heads, Tsuna wasn't quick enough to hold the straw hat from flying off her head, and so it fell. She bent down quickly to grab it before it could get swept away and put it back on her head.

"That was close" Fuuta said, having exclaimed in surprise when the hat went flying but was slow in moving to pick it up. Tsuna didn't mind, truly. She was just keeping the hat safe so that Lambo wouldn't throw a tantrum for losing his gift. Seeing as the person in front of them moved, she smiled at the boy.

"Go, I'd be right behind you" She pushed him forwards and watched him hand his ticket before skipping excitedly through the ramp.

"Ticket please" At finally being her turn, she smiled at the guard and handed her ticket. The guard read the thin paper and ran it through a digital machine to verify its authenticity, having found none he clipped off the side and handed it back to her. "Here you go, young lady. Enjoy"

Her foot barely touched the ramp when she felt it, the cold shiver that travelled through all her body. It was an indescribable sensation, the coldness swept through her foot and enclosed her body in a torrent, her mind clouding and blinding her.

There was a buzzing in her head, the whispers screaming and crying but she could hear nothing but a siren echo. Next thing she knew, there was fire embracing her. Everything was burning, her blood boiling and skin melting. But like a summer storm that brought rain to land, it took the fire away if only to be replaced by a numbing coldness.

She was only aware of her hand gripping the rail tightly as to not to fall, for a moment that felt eternal she lost control of her body. It was maddening, was this a dream? Was this real? She could feel herself fading, but her _Will_ grounded her.

She breathed out harshly and blinked rapidly to clear her view. The cruise, she was just boarding the cruise. She was holding the line with one foot still on the ramp, it was Tuesday and the sun was shining and people were talking to her.

"Young lady, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah" She responded though her voice felt not her own, it was like someone else had answered and she heard the sound through underwater.

Looking down at her foot and twitching her fingers to make sure they were working, she walked slowly and boarded the cruise. As soon as she stepped inside, she leaned to the side, hand gripping over the edge as she looked at the sea and land below.

Something was going to happen. Was it too late to get out? If she jumped, she still could make it to the port.

"Baka-Tsuna, come on!"

"Tsuna-nee! They have free food!"

"Not free, it's buffet!"

"Tsuna, come on you're staying behind"

"Don't be disrespectful to Juudaime!"

She clenched her eyes for a moment before sighing deeply. It probably took a few seconds, but once she felt the noise was stable in her head, she opened them and grimaced a smile as she stepped away from the border edge and walked towards the people waiting for her.

Through it all, obsidian orbs watched the scene unleash with a sense of unease. His eyes never once left her figure, so weak and transparent as if it could fade in the sunlight.

Reborn frowned.

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was a freaking suite.

A huge cabin with three rooms, a mini kitchen and a drawing room with a huge TV. The kids were ecstatic, already running around to explore and trying to claim a room. In the end, they did it out of lottery sticks to assign the roommates while they waited for the cabin steward to arrive with their luggage.

Gokudera was rooming with Lambo and Yamamoto with Fuuta.

Nana was staying in the master bedroom with Bianchi and Ipin, in three comfortable beds with expensive pillows while Tsuna was stuck in the bed couch of the waiting room with Reborn. It was most likely so that he could force her to his will without waking anyone.

Tsuna wasn't surprised when she pulled the shortest stick, but despite her mother's worries, she reassured her that it was okay. The couch could shift into a bed that was surprisingly soft and comfy that Tsuna wanted to fall asleep right away.

She couldn't of course, once their luggage arrived they spent an hour unpacking and arranging their things. She ended up sharing the closet with Bianchi, but it was alright. It's not like she packed a lot of clothes.

They finished just in time for the ship to set sail, and the kids wanted to see it so they went out and towards the deck to watch it set in motion. It was marvellous, the huge white cruise floating through the waves as it flew over the ocean and away from Japanese lands.

If only it could be that easy to escape from troubles.

"Let's go to the game room!"

"No! Lambo-sama demands we go to the pool!"

"Boys, don't fight. We can do a lot of things" Her mother quickly placated them with a serene smile.

"What you do? Tsuna-jiějiě?" Ipin was getting better with her Japanese, although her sentences were choppy and some Chinese words escaped her.

"I don't know" She said sincerely. The cruise was so huge that she didn't know where to start. She wanted to explore out of curiosity but didn't want to spoil the fun for the others. Riding the water slide was out of the question though, she didn't need the voices in her head agreeing it was plain suicidal and a one-way ticket to the ocean.

"Tsuna-chan, why don't you try the spa?" Nana said excitedly. Tsuna could already feel it. The soft massages, the sweet fragrance that lulled you into a relaxing state. She was definitely going there, but a soft pinch at the back of her head stopped her enthusiasm.

"Maybe later" She said and had to hold back a groan as her mind reassured her she will need a relaxing massage at a later time "Definitely later"

"All right then dear, I'm going to get us some food. Do you want anything?"

"Berry smoothie. No, wait, Mango! Uh, can I go with you?"

"Ipin go!"

"It's alright, you look a bit pale, dear. Rest for a bit, okay?" Nana touched her face as if to check her temperature and the brunette felt a bit guilty. Ah, never doubt a mother's intuition. Tsuna sometimes wondered if it was a superpower, perhaps it was hereditary and that's where the voices were coming from. Did her mother hear voices too?

"I will bring you a fruity milkshake. You boys want anything?"

"Sawada-sama, allow me to accompany you" The bomber said, stepping forward to follow the older woman but she waved him off.

"It's alright Gokudera-kun. Bianchi and Ipin-chan will help" Her mother giggled, making Gokudera blush a little.

"I want to go too! Please" Fuuta raised his hand in the air, eager. No one can say no to that pure face.

"Well alright, alright. We'd be back soon"

"We'd be at the deck above" The ones who remained watched them go towards where the cafeteria probably was. Lambo then cheered and jumped around them, tugging at their hands to start walking.

"Let's go! Let's go!"

"Haha, let's go to the pool! Tsuna, you can sleep on the beach chair"

"How dare you! Juudaime's delicate skin could get burnt!"

"A little sunlight will do her good"

"Juudaime, please you can use my bed if you wish to rest"

"No, it's fine" She shook her head, grimacing as the strawhat threatened to fall again so she quickly held it in its place "I think I'll be good"

"Well then, let's go!" Yamamoto marched on, following Lambo who was already getting ready to jump into the water. She let the boys control the little kid and trust them into preventing Lambo from drowning as she walked towards a chair and proceeded to lay down.

Yamamoto was right, feeling the sunlight in her skin was already lulling her to sleep. Wearing nothing but shorts and a T-shirt under the gleaming ocean sun was peaceful. She brought her hands up to rub her eyes, before resting one hand over her forehead and raised the other one towards the sky.

She looked at her pale fingers, markless from any scar. The bandages had come off under her unwavering stare before she left the hospital, and despite the fear and dread she felt anytime she looked at them, there was no burn mark or bruise on them.

Not that she minded, it would surely be harder to hide burn marks. The makeup Kyoko gave her was magical and blended with her skin right away, she didn't notice when the bruises faded until she scrubbed hard one day in the shower and didn't feel any pain.

Her magical mittens were safely tucked in her bag. Reborn advised her, -probably the only advice he has given her since their fallout-, to keep them close just in case. _Just in case_ she mocked childishly in her head.

The blazing summer heat made her sleep with them under her pillow. Even if she hasn't put them on again, just the thought of them guarding her sleep worked like a lucky charm.

Lazily, she moved her hands down to rest on her stomach while letting the shade offered by the strawhat shield her eyes from the gleaming sun. Her head tilted to the right to look over the guys better.

Gokudera was sitting on a chair next to her, his hair pulled back in a small ponytail and fingers twitching to grab a cigarette. He hasn't lit one in her presence since two months ago, but the abstinence of the nicotine was making him jumpy.

He was dedicated to chewing gum as a replacement though. Tsuna admired his willpower, but any stressful situation was just pilling for a major trigger. Maybe that's why he was so annoyed towards everyone else but her.

Moving her eyes a little bit showed Lambo already in the water, being watched by Yamamoto over the edge of the pool with his legs inside the pool. He was half turned, keeping a watchful eye on the kid while trying to make the bomber at her side get into the pool.

Yamamoto could be the very main reason for the Italian boy to break.

Huffing slightly, she closed her eyes, deeming it safe to take a nap while waiting for her mother to arrive.

"I didn't come here to sunbathe! Get your ass moving"

Like a broken rubber band, Tsuna sprang up in horror at hearing a familiar voice yelling familiar threats.

"Juudaime, what's wrong?" Gokudera was immediately on guard-mode, placing an outstretched arm towards her and turning his head all around to see the cause of her discomfort.

She held her breath, because, no. It couldn't be her. Not here, not now after everything and… what other reason would she be on board if not for her? Oh shit-

"Baka-Tsuna needs to go~" Lambo snickered, seeing the brunette fidgeting in her place, not knowing if she should run or hide. Maybe both?

"Um, uh- we need to leave. Like, now"

"But what about your mom?" Yamamoto scooped Lambo from the pool despite his loud refusal.

"Now!" She yelled quietly, gripping onto Gokudera's shirt to pull him along as she tried to walk around the chairs. She was only able to take three steps when a looming shadow that seemed to be dragging something along appeared before them.

"Dear Lord, hide me!" She squeaked and hid behind the Italian bomber, who was already taking some dynamite sticks.

"What's wrong, Juudaime? I'll protect you from anything"

"She is here"

"She?"

"The devil"

Both guys waited in anticipation as the shadow got nearer, dancing over the floor of the deck in a menacing way. Weirdly enough, Tsuna didn't start shaking until the shadow started shrinking in size. They held their breaths and watched with unbelievable eyes as a tiny figure threw over their shoulder a grown-up man.

"100 squats and 30 push-ups, and you won't rest until the sun sets!"

"Yes, sir!" The man trembled as he saluted and instantly dropped to the floor, doing as he was told without taking a moment to rest.

As the sky cleared from the harsh sun, they were able to see the terrorizing little figure that has frightened the brunette so much.

Gokudera furrowed his eyebrows as he analysed the threat, there was something familiar yes, but not enough to cause such a reaction on the girl behind his back. Yet seeing the figure better, he was starting to become aware of the same dangerous aura that surrounded a certain hitman shadowing his Juudaime's life.

The figure, wearing nothing but a combat gear under a crimson cape turned to see them half gawking/half staring. Dark brown eyes immediately locked with the brunette's and Gokudera could feel the tremors from the girl by that sole action.

"Sawada" The figure called her and Tsuna could swear there was a hint of nostalgia in her tone.

It's been six years since that awful night, last time Lal saw her, she was screaming and crying in her mother's arms as they were boarding a plane back to Japan. She couldn't help but wonder what she thought of her now. All grown up and being groomed to fight for her life for a Mafia title she didn't want.

"What are you doing hiding like a wimp!? Get in here!"

"Yes sir, mam! Sorry, mam!"

Her response was automatic, tripping like a fool to rush past Gokudera and stand firm in front of her old - what was the term? Babysitter? Mentor? Tormentor?

Lal was sizing her with an intense glare, and Tsuna cursed the fact that she wasn't wearing the infrared visor that was resting on top of her head to escape from her gaze. She tried her best not to squirm and opted to stare at the scar marring her left cheek instead.

Tsuna used to ask her how she got it almost every day, but Lal never responded. She thought it made her sad, so one day the brunette put some marmalade under her eye to cheer her up. Lal was a blushing mess that day, and it was the only time she joined her at a tea party.

It wasn't a good idea to sink into nostalgic memories at the moment though, because before Yamamoto could hush a snickering Lambo and Gokudera take a step towards her, Lal exploded.

"What the hell have you been doing? Watching girly movies?! Look at those arms! There is no muscle in them! And don't let me start by your hips! You have eaten too much cake!"

Tsuna cringed in embarrassment but before she could open her mouth to try and give an excuse, Lal yelled again.

"Join that idiot and give me 50 push-ups! Now!"

"Yes sir, commander mam!"

Tsuna didn't think twice before kneeling down, her body and mind reacting in autopilot. Yamamoto was close to laughing at that point, seeming to find amusing her misfortune but Gokudera quickly elbowed him to shut him.

"Who do you think you are? Ordering Juudaime like that!" The bomber exclaimed angrily and marched forward, looking down at Lal with outrage.

"Who do you think you are? Leaving your boss to suffer alone?" Lal growled back at him.

And Gokudera's brian stopped for a microsecond, because the next thing everyone knew, he was on the floor next to Tsuna doing push-ups with a burst of energy.

"I see you have trained her well, but you ruined my fun in torturing her. She is more scared of you than of me"

Reborn commented at her side, seeming to appear out of nowhere to witness the spectacle of his student being punished.

"I didn't train her, I simply kept her on track" Lal tched at his presence and crossed her arms, staring down at the brunette's shaking figure as she attempted to keep herself from falling on her face.

"You didn't teach her self-defence?"

"Iemitsu asked me to watch over the brat, but I didn't let her slack so I made her run every day and do some light exercises to burn her endless energy" Lal shook her head as if to forget the sudden memories. "However, out of my watch, she became fast and agile and her reflexes improved too"

"Someone else trained her" Reborn frowned. Tsuna has hinted that something like that had happened, but there weren't enough clues as to pinpoint who.

"It's still date that she hasn't told me who, no matter how much I demanded. I believe you have experienced her killing intent. It's something no normal person could teach a little girl"

"Ah" He only saw it once, when he destroyed her art supplies. And it was glorious.

A pained yell brought their attention towards the people exercising against their will and they watched Tsuna fall face-full to the ground, arms shaking in struggle to keep her body up.

"What have you been doing with her?" Lal asked in question, clearing Reborn from doubt that she knew of the brunette's fate.

"That's classified information"

"Oh?" She smirked "Shall I remind you who my boss is?"

"Shall I remind you under whose orders I am?"

"Fair enough. Still, she looks weak"

"Her body is still getting used to her flames" Reborn left it at that, not wanting to give any more information regarding the issue. Lal startled at his side, and her sudden movement made him turn to see her in confusion.

"Flames?" Lal blinked "She has flames?"

"She's Vongola"

"Huh"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Ara, Tsuna-chan, what happened?"

"Mom, save me! She's back, do you remember that time when…" She stopped, although it's been six years since their departure, and they were housing four people from that country, mentioning Italy and any other memory of what happened there would make her mother sad. "Nevermind, I'm tired"

She flopped back onto the floor. 

In the ten minutes that she has been gone, Tsuna has gone to hell and back. After she barely completed the push-ups with Yamamoto's encouragement and Gokudera's side companionship, she remained laying on the deck, arms too tired to do one more push up to get up and crawl towards the beach chairs. Though the boys offered to carry her, she refused and proceeded to wallow in self-pity.

Lal disappeared after a brief talk with Reborn, dragging her subordinate with her and promising to meet later. That only signalled more brutish training for her.

"Baka-Tsuna is a worm" Lambo snickered.

"Now, now Lambo-kun. That wasn't nice"

"Here, Tsuna-jiějiě" Ipin walked carefully towards her, carrying a delicious looking strawberry parfait that lifted her spirits.

"Thank you!" She cheered up immediately, much to the amusement of her family.

They spend the next few hours resting and playing around. Yamamoto joined the kids in the waterslide and played with them until the sun started to lower in the sky. In the meantime, Gokudera taught her how to play poker - and Bianchi on how to cheat - and together they gambled for a slice of chocolate cake.

Tsuna was so close to winning, she didn't need to cheat when the voices in her head were leading her straight to the fluffy cloud of cake, but her conscience wouldn't let her, not with her mother cheering her good luck. It wasn't good luck at all, it made her feel dirty knowing she was relying on something to get what she wanted. But wasn't that living...?

Of course, chaos had to happen. Yamamoto kidnapped her minutes after Bianchi was enjoying a bite of her cake. Tsuna only had time to screech as she was picked up and launched into the pool with Gokudera not too far from them.

She almost punched the boy holding her in the face with the way she scrambled to get up, pity. Gokudera had no trouble slapping his head and berating him for doing that prank on the brunette though.

The kids took the new presences as the start of a new game, and it soon led to a water war. Good thing was that no one got hurt, drowned or traumatized, but moving on water was harder and more tiring than on land.

Thankfully, it all ended when her mother signalled it was time to get lunch. They got out of the pool and went towards the cafeteria wrapped in towels and enjoyed the buffet over laughter and talk.

But alas, everything was going too good to last.

"Get changed, we're going somewhere"

Those ominous words should have alerted her, but like an innocent sheep, she was herded towards her room to change into dry leggings and a baggy T-shirt that was probably not hers but somehow landed in her luggage. Oh well.

As she turned to grab the shirt laying by the bathroom sink, her eyes quickly diverted at the reflection in the mirror when something caught her attention. There was a red dot in the middle of her back, like a pimple she scratched and burst and then the crust covered it to heal. There was no pain or itch, it was just there.

It shouldn't be important, it didn't look infected or swollen, but it's been weeks and that thing was still there, and it's not like she could tell Reborn about it. He would just dismiss her 'girly worries' and kick her back to training.

Perhaps it was a mosquito bite and the result of Shamal's doing? But no, the whispers were mocking her that it was something else.

Frowning, she pulled the shirt over her sports bra quickly to hide her skin, opting to forget about it for the moment. She briefly debated herself if she should take the magical mittens with her, but in the end, chose not too. She wouldn't need them, the whispers told her.

When she came out of the cabin, Reborn had already excused her from the group, reassuring her mother that they'll be back at dinner time. She could only send a pleading look at the other boys, as a silent signal for help. Yamamoto returned her pity gesture and Gokudera was shaking with the strength he was making on not going after her.

Reborn must have forbidden them and so, Tsuna was made to walk alone towards a secret passage at the end of the corner.

"What's this about? Aren't we on vacation?"

"Your mom came here to relax. You came here as punishment"

"You gotta be kidding me!" She cried in indignation because really, this was too good to be true. She should have jumped off the cruise when she had the chance.

"I'll see you down there" Was all he said before he jumped over an open window and vanished. What the hell? But then the wall in front of her was already opening and revealing a hidden elevator. What the freaking hell?

Lal was waiting inside, arms crossed and leaning against a wall.

Tsuna could feel herself almost petrify. What was this, a ride to hell? Has Reborn and Lal teamed up against her?

"Get inside, idiot!" Lal exclaimed impatiently and she quickly scrambled inside and glued herself to the other side of the elevator, close to the closing doors.

"What is this thing?"

"The cruise is a lie. It's being sponsored by a Mafia Don"

"What the hell?!" Tsuna yelled in horror "Why?"

"Who knows. There are many secret rooms but we're going to the training grounds now"

"Oh my god, Reborn hates me. He's going to kill me" She cried in her hands, sliding down the wall to sit on the floor since her legs were starting to shake.

"Don't be a wimp. You're not training with me today"

"B-But you can't leave me with him" She almost pleaded.

"What's up with you two?" Lal asked, raising an eyebrow. She wasn't an idiot, she noted the cold gap between the two in the short time she saw them together. Tsuna grimaced and tried her best not to hug her legs in a sign to appear less weak in front of Lal.

"We fought"

"Well congratulations, you're still alive" Her dry humorous tone did nothing to soothe her "I remember a brat dreaming to meet a certain someone~"

"I was a kid. My expectations were high, way too high" She muttered the last part, but Lal heard her if her snort was any indication.

"Yet he hasn't given up on you, I would call that an accomplishment"

"It's just-" She exhaled in frustration and vented her anger despite Lal uninterested stare. "I was expecting the training, yes. But not the torture. He is indifferent to my wishes and forces me to do things against my will. He doesn't listen and now he is ignoring me!"

"But do you listen to him?"

Whose side are you on? Tsuna wanted to scream. It's not that she doesn't listen, she does. She soaks every one of Reborn's words and teachings, but most of the time they are ugly and downright disappointing.

"Reborn is a prideful man. Whatever happened, it's probable that you threw him off his game. Though I applaud you for that, if you want him to listen, you need to give him something. Make him trust you. Better yet, intrigue him"

"How do you intrigue the number one hitman?"

"You have many secrets, Sawada. Pick one"

There was a soft ding as the doors opened to reveal an empty bunker hallway. Lal left her at that, going to torture her own student apparently.

Tsuna took a moment to sigh in her hands and gather whatever courage she had to settle the nausea accumulating in her stomach. If baring her heart open landed them in this mess, what more else could she say to fix it?

Standing up, she peeked outside the elevator and walked around cautiously. There were a few heavy doors closed along the hallway, but whatever material they were made from prevented any sounds from leaking out.

She didn't have to walk much, her intuition led her to a door with a huge number 10 painted on it. Biting her lip, she knocked slowly as there was no door handle or key to open it. The heavy wall slid open to reveal a control cabin, filled with machines and a big glass window.

"You're slow" Reborn reprimanded her.

"I was catching up with Lal" She muttered as she walked inside and her eyes landed on the chubby man by the controls "Hello?"

"This is Giannini. His father was Vongola's best weapon tuner. He's going to be working with you as your engineer"

"It's a pleasure to meet you, young Decimo! Such an honour to be working with you" He bowed continuously, making Tsuna feel awkward by the excitement at meeting her.

"Uh, thanks. But, please call me Tsuna"

"I'll try, Decimo-san"

"Be quick, I want to start the trial" Reborn jumped from the control board and walked towards a machine with many buttons. Tsuna completely ignored him when Giannini pulled from over the chair her technological things. She almost cried at seeing her laptop and cellphone again after months without them.

"Here you are, young Decimo. All your gadgets are free from bugs and tracers. I took the liberty to expand your memory disc and link you to a secured cloud web for you to drop files and explore safely"

"Does that include safe from Reborn?" She asked while accepting her item gratefully.

"Uh…" He blinked and turned his eyes to see the hitman messing with some cables before turning quickly to the girl in waiting "He won't see what you do, just know when you trigger certain codes"

"So if I search about the Mafia, will he know?"

"Y-Yes"

"Thanks for the input, Giannini-san. I appreciate it" She smiled at him and his sincerity before diving into her phone to raise it from the grave.

"N-No problem, young Vongola"

With a single press of a button, the screen lit up. It took a few seconds before it turned mad and started ringing and zumbing by all the messages and spam she accumulated over their time apart. She could read those later, what was more important was the tag inbox where her favourite contacts were displayed.

She could recognize Dino's number and that sole action lifted her spirits immensely. She quickly sent him a heart emoji before searching for the next number she'd been dying to contact, with his last message being from a week ago.

> **_G &P:_ **
> 
> _Are you dead?_

She snorted at that, she wouldn't put it past him to investigate her whereabouts after showcasing no digital life for months.

> **_Me:_ **
> 
> _I'm in deep shit_

She quickly typed and was not surprised to see her message being read and to have an answer soo soon. He must be desperate, she thought with amusement.

> **_G &P:_ **
> 
> _Don't die, I need your brain_

Almost scowling at his blatant disinterest of her well being, she quickly typed a response when she saw Giaginni approached her with some objects at hand.

> **_Me:_ **
> 
> _I think my brain is already dead_
> 
> _-_

"Now, I will ask you to wear this around your ankle and wrist. And if you would, please place this on your chest and in your forearm" He showed her a wrist and ankle band, as well as some little rubber patches.

"What is this for?" She questioned as she did as she was told and placed the objects accordingly as she was instructed. She felt the bands sink until they fit perfectly to her size and a little pinch under the rubber patches as they settled on her skin.

"We're going to monitor your stats" Reborn said, jumping over the control board, right in front of the huge window. Tsuna didn't pay any mind, too busy reconciling with her phone, but now that she was alert, she walked over to peer outside.

"Why?" She could feel dread as she stared down at what looked like a training room. Just a big, vast empty room with lots of space.

"This is an opportunity to see how your flames alter your system. It will help us find a new training regime for you"

"W-What do I have to do?"

"Go down there and run"

She paused and blinked back at him. Because okay, she expected bullets and fire and explosions and all that.

"Just that?"

"Tomorrow you're training with Lal. Today I wish to see how your body stands your flame alone"

"Okay"

She couldn't say no to a light day of training. Making sure her orange sneakers were fastened correctly, she was led towards a door that when opened, revealed a staircase leading towards the training room behind the glass.

She walked around the room as she clasped a device in her ear to serve as a comlink with the control cabin.

" _Tsuna, you ready?"_ Reborn voice swept through the little device.

"Not really"

"Turn it up" Reborn nodded at Giannini and the engineer pushed and turned some buttons at his call.

There was a low hum as the machine started to life, she wasn't sure how a wrist and ankle band could help monitor her stats, nevermind the rubber patch in her chest. There were no visible wires or lights coming from them, so whatever technology they used must be futuristic and unrealistic for a commoner. But that was the light side of the Mafia for you.

A small window opened in the huge glass, where a familiar green gun appeared pointing down at her.

Tsuna was sure that even from that point, the hitman could still hit a perfect mark. She knew that he wouldn't commit murder in front of a witness, and she was confident that their spat wouldn't merit such outcome. But the fact that she was enclosed in a room with no way out with a gun being aimed at her just got on her nerves.

" _Easy, just breathe and walk. Once you feel comfortable, run"_ Reborn's annoying voice talked like the bug conscience that he was. Easy for him to say; she reproached mentally, when it was him pointing the gun.

Still, she nodded to herself and started to walk around the area to know her path. One, two, three rounds. Her muscles were already stretched by all the movements she did while playing in the pool, but she knew her legs will be sore after the extra running. Mentally preparing herself for a burst of energy to beat that tiredness was hard to swallow.

" _Ready?"_

It was really considerate how he waited until she nodded. Yet despite anticipating the shot, the force still took her by surprise.

Her head was thrown backwards as the bullet connected on her forehead, lighting the crown of Sky flames after a second of waiting. Her last rational thought before everything fell underwater, was that she was going to need special neck pillows after this training.

"Tsuna?" Reborn called from the comlink, watching his student breathe as the Sky flame flickered to life.

"There is a spike in the wavelengths. Her stats are a mess- Oh, steady. We are steady" Giannini voiced, signalling it was okay to proceed from his place in the controls.

"Start running, Dame-Tsuna"

The girl did as she was told without much as voicing her thoughts.

While in Dying Will Mode, the rage of waking from your Will to fulfil your regrets is exuberant, Hyper Mode is the total opposite.

Tsuna wielded a mirage of a cold face, void of emotions such as fear and anxiety. He was only able to see it in the fight with Mukuro, but he noted how calm and thoughtful she acted while under pressure. The total opposite of the bundle of nerves she commonly was.

It was as if her mind blanked out and her body moved before thinking, leaving behind nothing but an orange trail of dying light, just like an echo.

30 minutes and still going, the brunette continued running without much trouble. She never once stopped to catch her breath, never once stumble nor did her face morphed to one of discomfort. She was glaring to the front, orange stone eyes chasing after something invisible.

"Reborn-san?"

"What's happening?" He pulled his attention from the gliding girl to turn towards the engineer, who held a frown on his face as he looked over a screen showcasing the brunette's vitals and statistics.

"H-Her blood level is dropping"

"What does that mean for a teenager with Sky flames?"

"It's not healthy" Giannini shook his head and peered down to see the brunette in action who had no difficulty breathing despite her fast tempo "Her body is burning calories fast, too fast for a regular exercise. It's not good if she has no muscles to burn"

"What about her heart rate?"

"It's normal"

Reborn frowned at that, deep in thoughts.

"Let's keep it going, see how far it drops"

They let the girl continue while monitoring her pulse, pressure and haemoglobin levels all thanks to Giannini's invention.

She was sweating, but the rise and fall of her chest were stable and constant. After another 20 minutes passed she started to go faster and faster, and for a moment it was like she was gliding on air. With the proper gear and training, she could equip some aerial movements for her future fights, noted the hitman. Already thinking ahead for the future battles that were inevitable to come.

"It's been an hour" Giannini pointed out "Her stamina is still going, but her blood levels continue dropping. Her body temperature is increasing too"

"She's using too much energy without realizing it" Reborn concluded at his side, taking mental notes of everything.

She fainted for a day after using Hyper Mode for the first time, but that was entangled with the fear and tiredness of the mission involved. He wonders, after a tribal task, what would be the consequences? And as if hearing him, her flat voice called over the comlink connecting them.

" _Reborn?"_

"What is it, Dame-Tsuna?"

" _It's burning"_

The room? her body? her mind? It was curious but dangerous all the same. And despite wanting to get to the bottom of this, undergoing such experiments was risky while on a cruise with tons of people in the middle of the sea.

"Shut it down, Dame-Tsuna. We're done for today"

There was a soft whisper, it sounded like a hum of the wind as the brunette started to reduce speed until she came to halt in the middle of the room. Her lips parted but no harsh breathing came out, and Reborn's unblinking eyes caught the way her head turned ever so slightly to the side as if listening to something that wasn't there.

''Tsuna, turn it off" He urged her, but she was gone from reach.

Just like the last time, there was something keeping her in Hyper Mode despite the danger being gone.

It should have been instinctual, to release the power and return to normal, but the way the flame crown in her head pulsed like a raging lion clinging to stay lit was astounding to see.

Beautiful, dangerous and mysterious. A lethal combination for someone who didn't know how to wield it.

At his side, the machines rang in alarm.

"There's a spike of wavelength!" Giannini exclaimed, reading the statistics coming from the girl and turning towards Reborn to silently ask what to do next. If it was up to him, he would have pulled her out the moment her levels started dropping. But Reborn had the final say in the matter.

"Tsuna!" The hitman shouted, already planning to go down there and kick the idiot in the face to wake her up. And as if hearing him once more, the brunette answered in actions.

Her body did a violent shake as the flame distinguished in a flash and she was left fighting to breathe as her body collapsed on the floor. Her arms supported her fall, holding onto the ground as to not lose balance and hit her face despite how her body was leaning down.

There was a sound from the comlink, a sort of choking in her throat before she was able to swallow and breathe again.

" _I-I'm 'kay"_

"Take deep breaths Dame-Tsuna. When you're ready, come on up"

She could barely nod without the world spinning, and so very slowly she leaned down to lay on her back on the floor and spread her arms wide. Her lungs expanded with every breath but it felt like it wasn't enough, and her eyes blinked tears that shouldn't be there.

She tried to pretend it was sweat, but her mind couldn't think anymore. 

It was void.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Has she been showing any symptoms?" Giannini asked while printing the data collected to hand it towards the hitman.

"Such as?"

"Fatigue, dizziness?"

"A few" He said after thinking of the 'boarding incident'.

It could have been because just before boarding, the brunette quickly leaned down to pick the stupid hat and walked upwards to a place with altitude. Her blood pressure must have dropped and her sight blanked in consequence of that.

Or it could have been something else, something more.

"I'm no doctor, but if Reborn-san will allow me..."

Giannini said, not wanting to overstep the role the hitman had given him as Vongola Decimo engineer but still worried over the girl he just met. The hitman nodded at him, welcoming his input of the matter and so he voiced his concern.

"The Hyper Dying Will Mode is a force to reckon on its own. But her body is not built to withstand it, and so, it's being overheated by it"

He showed him a drawing chart from the time lapses and the increase and decrease stats.

"The heat it's accelerating her metabolism. It's burning fast, at this rate it can fall into anaemia or something worse"

"I'll speak with Shamal. We need another waking trigger for her flames, something less forceful and a way to cool down her body"

This was dangerous, Shamal already saw it coming, but it was necessary to confirm it. The brunette needed to survive this, it was a vitality for her to control her flames without risk. The fate of not only Vongola but everyone involved and herself were at stake.

He didn't know what was more morbid. For the girl to fall under the darkness of the Mafia or to be cursed by her own Sky flames.

The door to the training room rattled as it tried to be opened, and a minute later Tsuna finally emerged from it, hair a mess and still under the aftershock of a harsh panting.

"How are you feeling Decimo?" Giannini quickly approached her to aid her, but she unceremoniously flopped down in a chair.

"Tired" She said while removing the gear on her.

She handed the bands to Giannini first and the man had enough courtesy to turn around as she lowered her shirt to remove the patch on her chest, she squinted down at it, noting there was a tiny drop of blood in it. Removing the one from her elbow revealed the same peculiarity.

How odd and creepy. She coughed to grab the attention of the engineer and handed him the rubber patches.

"Here, some juice" He exchanged the patches with a fruity juice box, which she accepted with a smile.

"Thank you" The tasty beverage running down her dry throat was a great welcome. Releasing a satisfying sigh, she turned towards the hitman who was busy reading some papers. "So how did I do?"

"Terrible, you were slow" Was his snippy answer "We are going to build muscle mass from zero again and train your stamina starting tomorrow"

This was their relationship; dry, ordering and distant. Once he had what he wanted, Reborn turned to walk away.

Never minding her mental health, her worries or her thoughts. She was way past the point of screaming at him to turn back, too tired to even ignite a fight.

Perhaps it was the fact that her mind felt empty and her consciousness was floating. The lingering fearless courage that the flames showered her body with was still there, licking her skin like a goodbye hug.

"So are all the Arcobaleno taking apprentices now?"

**SHOOKAPLAK-`**

That was the sound of the bullet flying close to her head. The sound was so different from the previous shots, this one was fast and violent, with the will to strike and kill if the user wishes to. Tsuna is no fool, she knows 100% that the bullet could have gone through her head if Reborn wanted it. This was a warning, or better yet, a defence mechanism.

"Where did you learn that word?" He demanded with a glare.

"Hm?" She sipped on her juice and blinked at him, closing her face from any emotion, but basking inside at being able to raise his hackles by that single question. Reborn glared at her, threatening her to speak if the gun still pointed at her was any indication.

"Colonnello gets weak over apple pie. He spoke of the strongest 7 once, it was easy to connect the dots"

"You have met them"

"I have"

Perhaps she will gain nothing with this and the mistrust between them will grow apart even more. The truth of the knowledge she possessed was a double-edged knife.

To be truthful, it was the only thing she could come up with. She needed to intrigue him, show her trust in him. And if she can't achieve that, then she will take gratification in antagonising him.

That was her gamble.

"I met Lal and Colonnello in Italy. They sometimes babysat me, though it was more Lal terrorising us"

It was kinda liberating to release this from her chest, telling this to someone who understands the impact of her words. She knew she needed to be quick and smart and give the hitman no space to demand more or things could turn upside down.

"I saw one of Skull's performances in Naples and managed to get his autograph. His stunts were amazing, you know? Verde, well… he is my benefactor. Green&Peace, remember? He buys my paintings and ideas in return for information and money"

And just by those two names, the hitman gained a murderous expression. Well, this was fun.

"I met Fon through you and Mammon; I actually don't know Mammon…" She shook her head slightly at that and her lips pursed unintentionally. "As for the last one… I only know she is strong. Colonnello once said we were similar, but I would like to disagree"

She held onto the tiny juice box, cradling it in her hands like a teddy bear to suck whatever protection it could provide. Her fiery courage left her with cold sweat and trembling fingers, and all that was left was her own survival instinct.

"I just found it funny how you all seemed to be taking someone under your wing, t-that's all" Her voice cracked at the end due to the nerves on her stomach, but her tired face blamed it all to the exhaustion her body was experiencing.

It was a good act, a very good convincing act because Reborn stared at her for one more second before letting Leon transform back to his lizard form. Well, she won the fight, but still not the war. That was the only peace offering he would give her.

He lowered his fedora and turned to walk out of the room, his shadow on the floor growing bigger due to the contrast of light and loomed over her as if to declare he could get her anytime.

"You will cease all contact with them. Lal and Colonnello, although working for Vongola's branch, they can backstab you at any moment. Mammon's out of the question, Verde is a crazy bastard, Giannini will reinforce security over your phone. You will not sell yourself to him ever again. Do not meet Fon behind my back and burn that horrid letter of the lackey"

If there was a door handle, he would have slammed the door closed. She knew that. Instead, he had to wait until the wall slid open to walk into the hallway. That didn't seem to bother him or ruin his image as a spartan tutor because he left with some parting words that promised pain.

"You're going to hell tomorrow, Dame-Tsuna. Rest well"

The wall slid close once more and the brunette could finally release the breath stuck in her throat.

"Oh my, he is jealous" Tsuna giggled in hysterics, ignoring the completely gobsmacked Giannini in the room.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The spa was the most magical thing she has ever experienced.

After resting for a while and gathering enough strength to walk back to her cabin to take a quick shower, she was reunited with the group expressing worries over her exhausted form.

It didn't take much convincing from her mother to go to the spa before retiring for the night, and so after dinner, she headed to a specific area of the cruise to finally claim her reward of the day.

She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, something she would never do on public spaces. She never fell asleep on the train or bus despite how little sleep she got. It was a defence mechanism, keeping her awake while being surrounded by strangers.

But knowing there were people watching over her, she let her defences fall knowing that Bianchi and her mother were both with her.

And so, Tsuna let go.

She fell under the spell of relaxing after a crazy day. It was impossible not to when halfway through it already felt like she was floating.

The sweet fragrances of the room were soothing her nerves into melting the tense joints from her muscles that she accumulated over the week. By each second, thoughts and worries seemed to vanish.

The threat of Reborn's new training and Lal joining the coup seemed so far away, nothing seemed to matter, just the siren call of sleep and the vanilla scent it offered.

She let herself go, succumbing to the darkness that welcomed her like an old friend, guiding her down towards a place no one could reach, no one but her.

Just fal _l̶i̸n̶g̶_

_Like a sinking boat in the middle of the sea, there was a heaviness in her body that made her dive under. The crash through the water felt cold against her skin, it was a sensation of freshness that washed over her exhausted mind._

_Tsuna opened her eyes to see nothing but shadows crawling around her, pulling her deeper and deeper into the abyss._

_She felt herself wake up, but she was still dreaming, that she was sure of. She closed her eyes to will herself awake, but once she opened them she found herself in a wonderland._

_There was a beautiful garden, a place she once saw in another dream. White magnolia trees standing next to cherry blossoms surrounded a sparkling lake_

_Blinking under the warm sunlight, she looked around for a spark of awareness but found nothing but beautiful landscapes and a pleasant lightness in her body, like invisible arms hugging her to remain right where she was._

_She walked towards the trees, admiring their beauty and splendour while thinking for a way to... wake up? But she was awake, wasn't she? This was real..._

_Frowning, her thoughts seemed to fade before she could even hear them. There were no voices or whispers in her mind, just a numb sensation that something was there before it disappeared._

_She took a step back, wanting to run away, but a breeze of cold air dancing around her stopped her._

_"Mukuro" She called out loud, somehow knowing he was there with her._

" _Oya, Oya, what a pleasant surprise, Tsunayuuki" the voice purred at her back, and she quickly turned to see him standing there, in his green uniform without a care of the world._

_Whether he was real, an illusion or a figment of her imagination, he looked pale and tired._

" _What did you do?" She accused him._

" _Guilty" He smirked as he raised his hands to show no harm "That brief nick in your back, it allowed me to connect my flame to yours, just barely"_

_She could barely remember the whole fight, too busy being drunk in power and adrenaline, but she remembers the flames in her hands pillowing her imminent crash in the wall, where a hidden trident laid ready to strike her._

_The mosquito bite..._

_Mukuro laughed when he saw the flat horrified glare she was giving him._

" _I can't possess you if that's what you're worried about"_

" _So, why bring me here?" She crossed her arms, and for the first time since wandering here, she noted she was wearing a black loose dress instead of the spa robe she wore before falling asleep._

" _Would you believe me if I said, I merely wish to talk"_

_His voice held a tone of mischief in it, but Tsuna could recognize what laid beneath._

_It's been two months since their fight, since he was taken prisoner and whisked away to an underground world where sunlight was scarce, if there even was any._

_This was the first time they made contact, the first time she was aware that he was lurking somewhere in the back of her mind, but never once had he tried to hurt her, didn't cause her pain or nightmares. That was all on her._

_Looking at his fallen shoulders and the light of satisfaction in his mismatched eyes made her understand the fact that all this time he has been trying to reach her. That he was nothing but a lonely child seeking attention._

" _About what?" And he gave her quite the startled look, probably thinking she would loudly refuse and demand to break free "You want to talk, right? What would you like to talk about? Though you should preferably refrain from murder and world domination. We aren't that close after all"_

" _Kufufu, how curious" He laughed, taken aback by her words but welcomed them nonetheless._

_He moved his hand to the side, inviting her to take a stroll with him. She stared at him for a moment before approaching him and making sure to maintain a bit of distance. Animosity or not, she was still wary of him and his intentions._

_They walked side by side toward the sparkling lake, the water glittered as if tiny crystals were embedded in the surface. It looked inviting to the eye, but she wasn't sure what would happen if she got near them. Sparkling things could make the simplest traps after all._

_"You mentioned before, that you understand. Why is that?"_

" _Can you see them?" She asked after a moment of thought "My memories?"_

" _I can in a way" He smirked at her affronted look "I won't break your mind if you allow me"_

" _You're asking for permission?"_

" _You're a lady after all"_

_She looked at the inviting water, feeling the heavyweight of the choice she was given. She already took a gamble, another one couldn't hurt more... right?_

_Feelings and emotions she felt the last time they met bombarded her heart to the point she felt an ache in it, the sensation should have been enough to wake her up but she grounded her feet to remain._

" _Hold my hand"_

_He did without hesitation, and as their fingers brushed against each other, Mukuro felt a cold fire brewing in his veins. One second he was looking at her honey eyes. The next, it was like a door opened behind him and a torrent of images and colours roared around them in an explosion._

_His wide eyes consumed everything that came from it. The blood, the screams, the fire. He felt emotions that weren't his own, witnessed a tragedy and submerged in the darkness that haunted the girl, all in the span of a few seconds._

_He stared at her with wide eyes as she bared part of her heart to him._

" _It's our secret" She whispered, lowering her gaze to try and break the chain of memories as the whirlwind of images decayed into ashes that surrounded them both. Mukuro released their fingers slowly, letting the ashes fly and fade with the wind._

_"Why?"_

_And there were so many ways to interpret that single question._

_Why did it happen? Why did you show me? Why you? Why me? Why?_

_Tsuna could give him thousands of excuses, but the truth was she was tired of suffering in silence. She didn't owe him anything, but speaking with him was easier than hiding in the dark._

" _I guess I was lonely"_

**_._ **

**_._ **

**_._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for stopping by! 
> 
> Just one more chapter to start the next ARC, I'm really excited!  
> Comments are appreciated, I love hearing what you guys think of the story so far!
> 
> See you guys next week~


	15. Mafia in our Land

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Hello~ 
> 
> Welcome to the new chapter.  
> Enjoy!!

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I talked with Mukuro"

She breathed out, her voice not wavering despite the tight coiling in her abs.

At her words, Reborn merely blinked back from his place on top of her knees, face showing neither surprise nor suspicion. If there was even a little spark of worry, he hid it perfectly well.

It was a cool morning by the sea, the sun was barely starting to shine in the sky and she was already past the 40th crunch at the moment. Not a single soul was awake when the hitman -oh so gently- disturbed her sleep by a kick in her guts.

Her mind snapped awake before she felt the pain, but her body was sluggish in reaction, so there was now a purple mark on her navel, expanding and contracting every time her upper body moved.

The hitman had taken her towards the deck of the cruise, where he proceeded to make her jog around before moving to the floor exercises. Because it was so early in the morning, no one was aware of her suffering. It was surprising how not even Gokudera was woken up by her startled screech.

"He can't possess me… but I can feel him" She didn't know why she needed to justify something when there was no reason for it. It wasn't like Reborn could stop it from happening. But the tiny little hope that someone close and strong could get worried for her mental state was nice. It just wasn't happening though.

"You bonded with him on your own. Good for you, Tsuna"

"Better the devil you know than the one you don't" She muttered, groaning as her lower back and shoulders burned by the exercise.

"Why tell me?" The hitman patted her knee, silently ordering her to keep going despite the strain in her muscles.

"I'm trying something new called…trust. Mom and Lal made me do it, so be glad I'm sharing"

"Don't expect me to share something in return"

"I'm not" She choked out, her throat closing as the clenching in her abs prevented her from breathing properly. She closed her eyes tight and held her breath as she used her last energy rush to complete the mark of 50. Once the quota was fulfilled, she lay back on the floor, taking a big gulp of air.

She willed her shoulders to sag from their tense posture, and the relaxing of her muscles made it easier to breathe. The cool breeze of the ocean was a great relief against her clammy skin. She wasn't worried about getting sick, for when her eyes had landed on a jacket before going outside her mind didn't protest to grab it.

It was weird, following a voiceless feeling. But so long as it was trying to protect her, then she was going to trust it, whatever it was.

A squirming sensation made her muscles clench again, and her neck stretched enough to see Leon crawling all the way from her tummy towards her neck, where he proceeded to curl down. Living with him for months had gotten her skin used to the scratchy and scaly claws of the little thing as he liked to sometimes perch near her neck to nap.

She just hoped he wasn't planning on falling asleep now because she wanted to have a proper shower and breakfast with her Mom and the others.

Bracing her weight on her elbows, she pushed herself up slowly. Reborn had jumped from her knees and landed next to her when his partner in crime decided to abandon his former place of rest, and he waited until the brunette was sitting properly to nod at her.

"Wash up. We'll have special training later today, so be ready"

"Yes sir" She brought a hand up to her neck to protect Leon from falling as she stood up. When she looked down, she wasn't surprised to see the hitman gone.

She had to swallow her disappointment. Seemed like the breach between them was getting further away. She had bared the darkness of her heart and confessed something that could potentially endanger her life even more than it currently was, but it was a gamble.

Reborn did not expect either of them. And instead of demanding and poking for answers as she had hoped, he was pulling away.

She didn't care if the hitman didn't share his deepest secrets like his killer count or his reason for living. All she wanted was someone who could listen without judging, someone who could answer her questions without taking her naivety and fear for granted.

She needed someone to trust her nightmares to and expect not a dismissal but reliability.

Just that.

Behind her, the sun was starting to rise, painting the skies with orange and bluish hues. It was a marvellous sight, but she went inside before it could even grace her skin.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Where did you go this morning? I didn't know you were an early riser" Yamamoto asked as he served himself some waffles. The cruise had inclusive cuisine with dishes from all over the world. There was sushi, onigiris and even some miso soup, but because this was an opportunity to try some international food, everyone was having fun with their food choices.

"Reborn took me for a walk"

She held an amused laugh, as not even a second later the predictable chain of reactions happened.

"What do you mean you went out!?"

"Oh? Can I join you next time?"

"Baka-Tsuna is a dog"

"Lambo! Mean!"

Gokudera was scolding himself while bowing hard, his head almost hitting the table but was careful because Nana was sitting next to him and he didn't want to disturb his precious Juudaime's mother's breakfast.

Bianchi was mindful too, as she was wearing goggles and gloves and sitting on the other side of the table so that her brother wouldn't faint or throw up. It was a little sad when you thought about it, but at least no food has been poisoned so far.

They didn't exactly have a plan, after breakfast they were just going to explore the cruise again and see other attractions together. At least, that's what Tsuna intended. With Reborn's promise of doom hovering over her shoulders, she was adamant on not getting separated from her mother. More than anything, she was a little paranoid knowing that they were surrounded by Mafiosi.

Of course, nothing ever goes according to her wishes.

Just as they were finishing eating, people began standing up and rushing outside towards the deck, where loud chatter could be heard.

"What's with all the commotion?"

Being the curious - and paranoid- people they were, they too went along to see what was happening. Reborn jumped on her shoulder, probably to stir her and prevent her from running away.

"We're near land. Once we're there, I expect a proper attitude, Dame-Tsuna" Those ominous words sent a shiver down her spine.

"Land? Land where? We're in the ocean! Reborn?!"

"Could it be a virgin island? Or a scuba spot? I have never been diving, it must be exciting!" Yamamoto smiled, throwing his arms behind his head in a carefree manner.

"We're not diving, baseball idiot. And Juudaime, please rest assured that I won't let you out of my sight"

Tsuna was barely able to nod. She could feel a sinking feeling of dread brewing in her gut as the cruise approached an island that shouldn't be there. People around her started to cheer and her eyes widened as the clouds and fog lifted to reveal mechanical structures rising in the air in colourful attractions.

Her skin bristled as the floating island made itself known, showcasing in all its glory a huge amusement park, topped with a white castle in the middle.

"Oh, it's an amusement park! How thrilling!" Her mother exclaimed, clapping her hands together and looking at the huge floating park happily.

"In the middle of the ocean?!" Tsuna questioned incredulously.

Was this even normal? This wasn't real. It got to be a joke. Why is there an amusement park in the middle of the ocean, on route for a Mafioso cruise?

At her side, Reborn patted her head.

"Welcome to Mafia Land"

Next to her, a little boy opened a huge book.

"Fuuta..."

"Mafia Land. Ranked first of 254 theme parks as a mafia-only resort that welcomes Mafia Famiglias that don't deal with drugs and other illicit activities"

"Let's keep the book hidden, okay?" She closed the book and quickly ushered him to put it away.

"Okay!" He accepted with a smile, apparently not caring if anyone else saw or recognized him despite what he suffered in the past. How can he be so carefree? 

"Isn't it great, Tsu-chan? We haven't been to an amusement park in years!"

"Yeah… But, is it safe?"

"It is" The Hitman reassured her "For them, at least"

"Figures" she muttered, feeling that sinking feeling clawing her insides.

"Let's prepare for landing, everyone!" Her mother exclaimed, and as the little lambs that they are, the kids cheered and started to follow her inside.

Tsuna saw them leave until they got lost within the crowd. Her feet remained frozen in place, eyes starting to sting.

"Reborn" She glares at him, arms trembling as she quickly crosses them over her chest. The Hitman jumped from her shoulder over to a table in front of her to look at her better.

"Your mother will be under heavy Vongola surveillance. This is a vacation for her, so no harm will come to her"

"We are surrounded by Mafiosi" She gritted, half wanting to scream, half wanting to tear at her hair. Maybe both. "How can you guarantee that my mother, a Japanese civilian, will be safe?"

"Can't you feel it?"

"You care how I feel now?" She snapped, feeling anger clashing with dread in a heat fire inside.

"Don't turn your angsty teenager mood on me, Dame-Tsuna. If you felt that your mother might be in danger, you would be in a screaming fit by now. No harm will come to her, you can have my word on that"

And she believed that. She bloody believed it. She scrunched her nose and turned to the side, not wanting to appear as if she was about to throw a tantrum.

She took a moment to clear the dark clouds from her mind and willed her body to uncurl from its tense posture because, yeah. She could feel it. Or rather, she didn't feel scared or restless when she thought of her mother stepping foot into that land. There was no tingle or warning buzz in her head.

She only felt a cold sensation when she thought of herself going in there.

"Why am I here?" she asked.

"To train"

"Just train?"

"Just train"

She believed his words, although the level of danger was yet to be decided. There wasn't much she could do, refusal was impossible. She knew, god… she knew Reborn would get her there one way or another, even if it was kicking and screaming or inside a plastic bag.

"Okay…." She breathed out "Okay"

"Gather your gear. And anything you think you might need" He nodded at her, giving her one last look before tugging his fedora down. "When you step out, raise your head, Dame-Tsuna. Show them who's the Boss"

Yeah right, as if she wanted a bright neon sign in her back alerting everyone on who she was. She huffed and munched on her cheek as she watched him disappear through a window. Her anxiety levels were rising, she truly didn't want to go. But her mother and the kids were excited and it's not like she was going to meet her death. Really, she wasn't. And knowing that was what made it scarier.

Might as well pack an aid-kit, she thought defeated as she ventured inside through the doors that connected the restaurant to the deck where they came from.

She felt stares on her but she ignored them, she got better at that. All she needed to do was walk a straight line across the room without grabbing attention. Simple.

"Juudaime!?"

She winced and hunched slightly, walking faster to the exit without looking like a madman. She could see Gokudera frantically searching for her, having been separated from the crowd when they went inside, but if he spotted her now, as well-intended as it was, he was going to cause a scene and alert everyone of her status.

"They can't see you"

She turned quickly to the source of the voice, seeing a lonely man enjoying a cup of tea by a table. His Hawaiian shirt looked ridiculous on him, it was pink and bright and it clashed horribly with his curly black hair. If he was wearing his real face though, well… she would have burst into hysterical laughter.

"What do you mean?" She walked slowly towards him, eying the people around her that seemed to ignore her serve for the passing glance so as to not bump into her.

"In your place is a beautiful blonde woman enjoying lunch with her lover"

"Are you stalking me?" She sat down on the chair in front of him and glared. She might have been drugged with painkillers at that time, but she faintly remembers a blue dream and a presence lulling her to sleep.

"You wound me, child. I'm all but enjoying a summer vacation"

"You're a liar. You don't do vacations"

"Guilty" He laughed, and god was it annoying "I can't do my job if you ship yourself to a mafia polluted land"

"So I'm your job now? What happened to the haunting, Mr. Ghost?" With the invisible protection around her, she relaxed and served herself a plate of fruit from the table and took a bite from a strawberry.

"Ah, the memories. It's been so long since you called me that" He sighed, smiling over the rim of his cup.

"Why are you here, really?" she asked because this couldn't be a coincidence.

"Exactly what I said for. Do you have any idea how many men have tried to kidnap you since you boarded the cruise?"

"A few…?"

"35"

"Oh… Thank you?" She grimaced at that. She felt an annoying sensation and a sour taste on her mouth whenever she walked, and the nagging pull in her mind made her take turns and different exits many times but never really alerted her of a kidnapping attempt. "To be truthful, I don't feel in danger"

"Then you're a fool" He scolded her, levelling her with a stern glare.

"No, no. Listen, um…" She looked around to make sure no one was listening, which of course they weren't. She bit her lip and considered the man in front of her. He wasn't an ally, he wasn't Reborn, but he might as well be her closest confidant at the present moment. "I… I need to ask you something. And you have to promise on your heart's grave that you won't mock me and will answer with the truth"

"I'm intrigued, whatever would you swear on my dead heart for?" He set his cup down and popped his arm on the table to rest his chin on his open palm. He gave her his complete attention and that action was enough to make her nervous.

She took a breath and then two, and three and then licked her lips.

"What is the Vongola Hyper Intuition?"

"Oh dear, has the curse befallen on you too?" He frowned.

"Please! Just tell me! This, this is driving me crazy. The voices and feelings and… just what is it?" She was close to gripping her hair but opted to stab a strawberry instead. It was that or slamming her hands on the table, and trick or not, the noise would surely grab attention.

"It's not something one could explain so easily" He shook his head, eyes narrowing as if seeing something unpleasant flash behind them.

"Please…" She pleaded weakly because she needed the truth, not half-baked answers and brief tales. The man in front of her sighed heavily before leaning back on his chair.

"It's a bloody power that can see through everything. You feel safe when you shouldn't be because somehow you know that you'll be okay. You'll know when someone has ill intentions and when your luck will make you rich. When danger is lurking and a possible way to counter-attack it."

She gulped and nodded because everything she has experienced so far fell on that.

"You will know things you have no idea about. Of people betraying you before they even think of it or them dying before it even happens. It will lead you and pull you to the golden path. It's a Siren call, silent and haunting. It will never leave you. You can never escape it, although you may fight it, the results will only sink you deeper. It's a curse that belongs to your blood. Only yours"

He took a pause after that, tired of spewing a lot of words with heavy meaning. He looked at her, her pale face and wide glistening eyes. He couldn't help but smirk at her pitiful look. Of course he knew what part she played in the underworld game, this curse only added to the price she had to pay.

"Vongola's Hyper Intuition lets you know  _ Life, and _ a way to cheat it"

He concluded, bringing the conversation to an end as he grabbed his cup to enjoy a lukewarm sip of tea, letting her process the information on her own.

Tsuna for her part was silent, her head hurt and her fingers trembled to clench onto something. She knew the grasp of this power, she was only starting to understand it but didn't know how far it could go. Knowing that she will have to live with the knowledge of someone close to her ever thinking of hurting her was sickening. Because it could happen, it will happen.

Because she knows.

She just does.

Knowing that she will feel the danger before it was even there was maddening. Knowing that she could cheat and claim whatever she wanted was distressful. Having the upper advantage and solutions for sudden adversities felt dirty.

Many could claim this power as the ultimate weapon, could get anything they wanted and monopolize as they wished. But not her. Even if she wanted to use it, deep down her morale and ethics screamed of how wrong it was.

He was right, it was a  **_curse._ **

A curse running through her veins, sticking to her skin and pulling on her nerves.

She wanted to use it, take advantage and escape her nightmare. But the call prevented her, even now she could hear the silent whispers singing to her. It was a war of wills waltzing in her mind, pulling and pushing constantly to the point she could feel her head splitting in pain.

One side was cheering her, the other was holding her back. They were singing for her to use it, but at the same time, screaming at her to stop.

There was something wrong.

Something tainted.

"If it's mine… then why does it hurt?" She asked in a whisper, her eyes flashing and blurring with unshed tears.

The man gazed at her solemnly.

She knew the answer before he whispered back.

"Because you shouldn't have it"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Tsuna-nee!" Fuuta collided with her legs, wrapping his arms around her waist the moment she stepped into the room. She gripped the boy's shoulder as the force of the impact almost made her stumble back.

She patted his hair and pushed him gently to let her go so that she could properly walk inside. Hearing her name being called made a flash of silver appear on her line of vision.

"Ah, I found Gokudera-kun" She drawled as she walked towards Bianchi's room to grab a backpack and start filling it with necessities. Her mother looked up the moment she entered and smiled joyously. Tsuna tried her best to match her emotions but found it hard to pretend. Luckily for her, the bomber rushed after her with a worried expression.

"Juudaime!"

"Please, don't call me that while we're here. There can't be many popular Juudaimes at the moment, I don't want to endanger them" She told him, pointing towards her mother and the kids who were getting some sunscreen rubbed on their arms.

"Yes! But, Juudai- I mean, what shall I- I can't!"

"You can call me Tsuna, you know?" She patted his shoulder and moved towards the common area with her bag. She had a spare change of clothes, her mittens, a cap, some band-aids, pills for migraine and a water bottle. From the table next to her made-up bed, she grabbed her wallet and her phone. She wasn't going to need anything more.

"B-But…"

"Yeah, it's not like it's hard" Yamamoto added as he walked towards them "See? Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, Tuna- ah?"

"Shut up!" Gokudera growled and threw him a cushion that made the boy laugh as he moved to avoid it "T-Tsuna-sama-

"Denied" Tsuna tugged her hair into a high ponytail and tucked it down under the cap. It was a black one, it could hide her face from the crown and protect her from the sun's glare. Perfect disguise.

She turned towards the bomber and huffed a smile at his struggling face.

"Don't think hard, it's not like you will curse her" Yamamoto said while sitting on the couch to tie his shoes.

"Names have power, you know" The bomber grunted and crossed his arms.

"You can add -san if you like. But don't call my surname either. Although Japanese, it could still be recognized"

"T-Tsunayuuki-san, please forgive my informality in addressing you. I shall make it up to you" Gokudera rushed his words and bowed.

"Don't beat yourself, Tsuna is fine. Come on" She patted his back as she walked towards the cabin's door where the others were starting to gather. The sight made her pause.

Mafia Land was supposed to be an uncorrupted place for Mafiosi families to enjoy a joyous day. A free evening away from the horrors that targeted them, the perfect opportunity to spend a relaxing afternoon with their cherished ones and pretend to live a normal outgoing without threats or shadows looming over their shoulders.

It was a joke because at the end of the day, when they boarded the cruise back and sailed to their homes, the Mafia was going to welcome them with open arms and they would fall back to that drug no matter how clean or pacifist they claimed to be.

Yet ironically, she had unintentionally welcomed runaway kids from mafia's famiglias into her home and let them pretend to have a normal life.

Quite the hypocrite, she thought while frowning. She suddenly felt very thankful for the cap hiding her expression.

"All right everyone, let's have some fun!" Her mother said, making the kids cheer.

"Lambo-sama wants to see the penguins!"

"Lambo! not, zoo!" Ipin shook her head, making Lambo stick her tongue at her.

"It's an amusement park, I don't think they have animals" Fuuta pointed, though he wasn't exactly sure. This being his first time at an amusement park too. He was tempted to use his ranking book, but he promised Tsuna he wouldn't. At least, not for today.

"Mama!" The boy stomped his foot, eyes already brimming with tears.

"Alright, alright. We will visit everyone's favourite attractions. Seems fair?" Her mother calmed them all, and they all agreed.

Seeing her mother in such a good mood made all the negative thoughts melt away. It was contagious. Sliding her bag over her shoulders, she gripped the straps tightly to secure them and turned to the boys at her side.

"Let's stick together. And please watch over my mom too, okay?"

"Sure thing, Tsuna! Don't worry. We won't get separated from each other"

**.**

**.**

**.**

They got separated.

One moment they were screaming their lungs at the highest rollercoaster, the next, Tsuna found herself next to a cotton-candy stand.

Alone.

She sighed in frustration on her hands. She was expecting it, but it still annoyed her how easily it happened. Even more so because Lambo had a tight grip on her shirt through the entire ride and Gokudera's bodyguard stance was like an iron wall.

She already sent a message to her mother to let her know her whereabouts, but she was sure they wouldn't meet for a few hours.

In moments like these, she couldn't help but remember her old nanny's Life Rules. They were drilled into her head like a religious rule book and was forced to promise to follow them to the letter. And she tried, she really did but by now she was sure she has broken like 15 rules so far.

But it's not like her ex-nanny will ever find out.

Tugging her cap lower, she looked around in search of something familiar. She was sure Reborn was on his way and getting lost will only result in an embarrassing situation with her in the middle of it. And anyway, it was impossible to hide from him.

So Lesson #1 of the day. When alone, stay with food.

It was either that or the toilets. But it was more possible to get kidnapped there so her paranoid mind wouldn't let her legs move from their rooted place. Besides, standing next to the cotton-candy stand and smelling the sweet aroma of sugar was soothing.

Despite dreaming with blizzards on summer nights, she hasn't had any nightmares and her insomnia was reduced greatly thanks to some tea Fon sent to Ipin that was actually meant for her. It had to be that way, otherwise, Reborn would have burnt the package. Really, he would. She can confirm that.

Sleeping and eating well to regain all the energy she lost was doing wonders to her health. Although it felt more like the Hitman was preparing her for something. Her body shivered at that thought.

She couldn't sense danger, but she knew something big was coming.

"Hello, little lady. You lost?"

Lesson #2, don't trust pretty boys.

She didn't even turn to see the guy, the arrogance of his voice was enough to dismiss him. And although her intuition was sending her warning vibes, she couldn't feel any imminent risk.

Though ignoring him seemed to do quite the opposite of leaving her be, for she could feel his lecherous eyes on her. She was wearing a striped t-shirt under a short overall and her trusty orange sneakers. Nothing flashy or provocative, but apparently, for some people that was enough to try something.

"If you come with me, I can help you"

"I'm waiting for someone, thanks"

Some months ago, she would've been a stuttering wreck. She's still a nervous mess sometimes, but in situations like this you could say she has had enough training by dealing with Moichida and his friends, plus training under the number one Hitman and living with a dangerous hitwoman has hardened her a little.

And not just that, she has learned that she can ignore people and turn them away with a glare just by repeating an inner mantra of 'Channel your inner Hibari-san' over and over in her head.

The cap might be hiding her eyes though because the boy sauntered closer to her with a confident smirk.

"Come on, we can have some fun too, ya know?"

"I said get lost!" She flinched and swatted her hand when he tried to touch her. Of course, this only angered him, seeing as she wasn't going to fall for his charm or whatever act he was trying to pull. He huffed an angry sneer and stalked closer, but just as her hands moved behind her back to grab her bag to hit him, her mind shushed her.

"You-

Whatever he was going to say died in his throat as he choked and his wide eyes rolled back. She sidestepped in a jump as he fell down, and it was only then that she was able to see a green dart sticking at the back of his neck.

"Dame-Tsuna"

She crossed her arms over her head in reflex, despite waiting for his arrival his presence and actions still put her on edge. Gulping, she uncurled her tense body and turned to see the little hitman by the stand when nothing else happened, seeing him eat a pink cotton-candy cone without a care in the world.

"What did you do to him?" She asked warily while kicking the unmoving figure in the ground. People walking by didn't seem to care there was a body lying around, and that only made it creepier.

"Nothing good" The hitman waved it off, finishing his sugary treat in one last bite, before turning to see his student. "Shall we?"

"What's happening?" There was a little tingle going off in her head, signalling that whatever he was planning wasn't going to be good.

"Your training starts now. Your mother and the kids are watching the aquatic show. It will last for 2 hours. Bianchi is with her, and under heavy vigilance" He reassured her with a pointed look and moved his arm to point behind her. "You, on the other hand, will go there"

She turned slowly and blinked up to see the huge white castle towering behind her. Ignoring her nervous stance, the hitman continued.

"Your guardians are looking for you" He said "I want you to evade them"

"That's not like you"

"I want to see them panic and how creative they get on finding you"

She grimaced at that, for she could already see a frantic Gokudera yelling through the speakers around the park looking for her. She also sent them a text message regarding her location, but she wouldn't put it past the hitman to block their signal.

"What happens when I get there?" She asked while fixing her ponytail better. She briefly wondered on what could happen if she screamed bloody murder right now and cried for help. But, no… the embarrassment wasn't going to help her escape. As if reading her thoughts, and she really suspected that he could, the hitman jumped to sit on her shoulder.

"You will find out"

How ominous.

**.**

**.**

**.**

She walked with tense shoulders through the path towards the castle. Whenever she lowered her head to try and appear as inconspicuous as possible while under a black cap, the hitman would tug on her hair to raise her head.

It was getting ridiculous, really. She was just surprised he didn't make her wear a neon sign with Vongola's name written on it. But that just meant he was planning something else, possibly something worse.

Crossing her arms over her chest to grip her elbows, she took a moment to admire the white marble that constructed the castle. It was white and polished, and the castle itself looked like it just came out from a fairytale book. With huge towers and big crystal windows, she could assume that more than an attraction this was perhaps a hotel.

And she was right. Entering the huge doors led to a lobby, at the side, there was a half-full restaurant and on the other, crystal elevators were transporting people up.

"Smile, Dame-Tsuna"

The devil whispered in her ear and she tried to put on a happy face as she walked towards the reception desk where a woman was busy talking on the phone. Tsuna smiled at her when they made eye contact and waited patiently until she was done. She could only catch something about wine stains on a bedsheet, and that was all she really wanted to know.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The lady smiled back at her, her lips curled in a practised move that seemed forceful. Tsuna could feel her own cheeks hurt at that.

"Hi, I'm meant to go inside. People are expecting me"

"Name?"

Shit.

Her mind blanked for a moment, and although her mouth opened to answer no sound came out. She made Gokudera swore not to say her name or reveal her title, and that was all the point for her incognito get-up. It might look like minutes, but her brain was processing in seconds the possible outcomes if she were to give her true identity.

"Name?" The lady insisted, and her eyes narrowed in confusion and mistrust at her lack of an answer.

"Um-

"Security, we got a lost one" the receptionist said through an earpiece, eyes never leaving the panicking brunette in front of her.

"W-Wait-

She tried to placate the situation, but it was too late. Her mind whispered to hold on to something, but in her panic, she couldn't even move.

"Too slow" Reborn happily scolded her and jumped to stand at the table.

Lesson #3, you need a code name.

She screeched as the floor opened beneath her and swallowed her down. She was in hysterics at that point, yelling and trying to hold onto something as her body glided down in what seems to be a long metal slide. Or a duct. The whispers were telling her that it was going to be alright, that she was going to be okay after the fall. But one thing was knowing, the other was feeling it.

She closed her eyes tight when a light brimmed from below, and before she knew it, her butt hit something soft. She grunted as the impact made her turn and scrap her elbows on the mat she was laying on.

"Oh god, my back. What the hell?! Reborn?!" She screamed in pain and confusion at the same time. Her high-pitched voice resounded around the metal walls in a painful echo. She shuddered as she looked around, trying to find a way out from wherever she was.

Her eyes immediately zeroed on a door near the wall across from her. It was big and sturdy and seemed very unwelcoming to open. It was like falling down the rabbit hole, only that what she would find behind the door wouldn't be a wonderland. But she had no choice, there was no going back from where she came from unless she could fly.

Her mind tingled at that. Wait, can she fly?

A loud clang made her jump and she scattered closer to a wall with wide eyes as she scanned the area for anything. She could already feel her body trembling and her pulse accelerating at being trapped and defenceless in an unfamiliar room.

Lesson #4, you need a weapon.

She didn't have any. Unless you counted the mittens which they actually were, but she didn't know how to use them. Although she had worn them every now and then, she couldn't trigger the function to turn them into leather gloves. Reborn refused to tell her how they worked, all she knew was that Leon and the flames had something to do with it. Other than that, they only functioned as hand warmers.

Taking her cap off quickly to have better visibility, she tied it to one of the bag's straps and stood up while holding onto the wall so she wouldn't fall by how her legs were shaking.

Reborn knew she wouldn't give her name at the front desk, so this place was where she was meant to be.

Stay here or go beyond? The whispers pushed her forward, so into the unknown she went. Walking with careful strides without letting go of the wall, she slid closer to the door while making sure to keep an eye at the ceiling in case another unfortunate soul dropped down.

She couldn't hear anything and the sudden feeling of being trapped somewhere underground was causing her heart to throb out of her throat. Despite knowing at the back of her head that no harm would come her way, it was still nerve-wracking.

Her fingers brushed against the texture of the door and she swallowed. It wasn't locked, her intuition whispered. The door wasn't locked so with a shaky hand, she pushed it open.

Peering inside, she noticed immediately the long hallway that led to a crossroad hall. She bit her lower lip as she slipped out of the room and glued herself to one of the walls. With slow steps, she ventured deeper into the corridor until her body stopped in the middle of two roads.

There were two sides to take, two paths to follow.

Standing in the middle, she could feel the inner war between her mind and body. Each wanting to go in a different direction while she; herself, wished to remain in place. But it was impossible, might as well say inevitable, because she knew no matter how hard she tried to run from her fate, she was doomed to fall.

The words from that man danced in her head. At this point, she realized she was nothing but a marionette with a heart but no will. Because she could cry, scream and hold on for as long as she tried, but there was no time to dawdle when the decision was already made for her.

She shuddered.

Like icy ants crawling over her skin, there was a pull; a sensation almost forcefully pushing her towards the left side. Like invisible hands or a rope tied around her body, it was luring her with a refreshing feeling of water streams caressing her skin.

It felt inexplicably good and her heart throbbed at that. There was a flare of an ugly sensation gripping her gut but it disappeared before she could even name what it was.

The whispers were telling her to go, softly cheering her in a silent song but her body coiled on itself in fear.

She crossed her arms over her chest tightly and rested heavily on the wall to try and grasp some grip in reality. What the hell was happening? She didn't know. All the nerves and terror she was feeling without knowing the reason why was giving her a massive headache and the inexplicable urge to cry.

"Tsuna? Is that you, kiddo?"

She blinked at the voice and snapped her head up. Her lips parted in a silent gasp at seeing a little baby carrying a rifle on his back marching towards her.

He paused, giving her a good look from head to toe before grinning. One moment she was trying to melt with the wall, the next she was falling on her knees.

"Wow! Look at you! You're so grown up, kora! Has Lal seen you? Damn" He whistled in amazement before quickly levelling her with a serious look "Wait, is Reborn bullying you? Tsuna, if he is, you tell me right now and I will kill him, come on"

"Hello, Colonnello!" She beamed at him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug. She couldn't help the happy laugh that escaped her, nor was she aware of the sagging in her muscles as she let herself relax into a warm summer rain.

Seeing Lal after so many years was one thing, but the soldier was a different story. They both suffered first hand Lal's moody swings and her torment. And although Lal was there when she returned to Japan in hysterics, she never got to say goodbye to Colonnello.

She knew they would meet again, but seeing him in person was so much better than just knowing.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm in charge of the training grounds, what are  _ you _ doing here?" Not even a second after he asked did he answer his own question with a frown "Wait, no. Reborn"

She pursed her lips and nodded. He tsked and jumped from her arms, proceeding to pace around while mouthing curses at the hitman. When she was little and used to talk about Reborn with amazement, the soldier would cry at her for not to be tainted. It was obvious there was a mutual rivalry between the two, and she wondered if she could annoy Reborn with it.

The soldier shook his head, ending his profanities to the hitman and turned to face her with a grin and a pat on her knee.

"I heard about your title, congratulations, kora"

"Y-Yeah, no. I-I don't want it"

"But you used to love playing Mafia" He said, confused at her reaction.

"But not like this"

Sunny afternoons playing hitmen and robbers seemed like a fever dream now. A lot has changed since then, and maybe not for the better, but she was trying.

Remembering that made her feel hollow inside. It reminded her of the ex-baseball ace and what was at stake in their lives.

Seeing her gloomy mood, Colonnello climbed to her shoulders with ease. He grabbed a strand of her long hair with care and unconsciously started playing with it, still in awe at seeing her all grown up.

"Come on, I will walk with you there. I have a feeling where you should be going"

"So do I"

She sighed as she stood up and started to walk while talking with the little soldier about trivial things and catching up. She felt at ease and calm, the total opposite of the bundle of nerves she was a couple of minutes ago.

It was weird but soothing so she embraced that feeling wholeheartedly without a doubt.

And yet she couldn't help but feel like she was leaving something behind.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"This is all your fault"

"If I remember correctly, you were the one holding her"

"Shut up, idiot!"

Gokudera was standing over a table, hands placed over his eyes to help him look better around the area in search of his runaway boss. He felt like a failure, his grip on her was tight and secured, but she still managed to slip away.

"Juudai-

"You lose another 10 points" Yamamoto chirped, patting his leg as it was within reach.

"Shut it!" Gokudera growled and tried to kick him but the other boy laughed and dodge it. The presence of the idiot wasn't helping at all, he was aggravating his nerves and making no effort on finding the brunette.

He was more like a little kid, staring at every game in awe and wonder and trembling in excitement at wanting to try them. Gokudera didn't let him, they couldn't have fun while the brunette girl was missing in a land full of Mafiosi. Her boss was right, it was dangerous if people knew about her. Although he was confident in their abilities to fight their way out, he planned on leaving this island with good spirits and zero injuries.

"Stop being dumb and search for her. You go that way, meet me here in 10 minutes" He commanded the other boy roughly before jumping down from the table and stalking some carnival games with stuffed animals as prizes.

Yamamoto for his part rubbed the back of his head at the hostile attitude of the Italian and opted to follow his order without any side jokes.

It's not like he was a heartless idiot. Of course he was worried. His friend was possibly lost, and that was the first thing she asked not to happen.

But he did see Reborn disappearing at the same time the brunette went missing, and despite what people believe about his brightness, he could connect the dots quickly.

He neared some toilets and knocked on the woman's door before opening just slightly so that his voice could be heard without actually peeking inside.

"Tsuna, you in there?" Some women yelled in Italian so he quickly closed the door at not hearing the brunette's response "Guess not… "

He walked around without results and before he knew it, he was back at the table watching Gokudera pace around with heavy steps while messing with his phone.

"She's not answering. Why isn't she answering?"

"Reborn is with her, should we really be worried?"

"Of course I'm worried! It's not like you can understand what's at stake!"

"Then tell me"

He leaned forward and hoped his expression was open and begging to understand. 

It was easy to know that they were keeping secrets from him. Both of his friends sometimes talked in hushes and had a heavy air around them, it almost felt like it was suffocating them, but when he tried to join in, that air seemed to push him back. It made him feel excluded, knowing that they had a kindred understanding of something he wasn't allowed to know.

At least it seemed that way. Tsuna always censored her thoughts and Gokudera would scoff and dismiss his presence in certain topics.

"You wouldn't understand" Was the same response he always got and he was getting tired of being left behind.

There was an uncomfortable feeling setting in his gut. It wasn't about trust, or maybe it was. Knowing that there was a barrier between them despite his efforts to be better and more supportive was disheartening.

It hurt because the brunette already rejected him, and although they were spending time together and held a friendly relationship, she was still pulling away from him little by little.

And it was breaking him.

Even now.

"Don't look at me like that, idiot. There are just some things you aren't allowed to know" Gokudera crossed his arms and looked away.

"Don't you think I deserve to know?"

"You… can't. Once you're in, there's no going back"

"It's my decision though"

He pushed and the more he did, Gokudera posture became tenser. It was obvious he was containing himself by the way he was gripping his arms, at what he didn't know, but he wanted to.

But he also knew that pushing and demanding for answers wouldn't just work. So he sighed and stood up, willing to change the topic and focus back on finding the brunette. But just as he was going to voice an idea, an unfamiliar voice interrupted.

"Oh, it's that you, smoking bomber? Knew I recognised those shouts"

He turned to see a foreign guy, Italian obviously by the heavy accent. He was older, carried an arrogant stance and dressed like a gangster, just the type of guy the brunette would instantly hate and ignore his existence.

Gokudera remained tense and disregarded the newcomer, but that only made the other guy laugh and saunter closer.

"Ignoring me? How arrogant of you,  _ monello _ "

"Get lost" He finally bite back, throwing him a bored stare from behind his shoulder.

"Rude. After all the fun we had back at Catania"

There was a smug smirk, an expression that didn't settle at all in the ex-baseball player. It was mocking with a hint of cruelty, its purpose was to raise a bone for the bomber to bite. If this situation happened a few months ago, Yamamoto was sure the boy would have blasted the other guy in no time. But he was holding back.

"Guess you're still an idiot if you don't know when you aren't needed" Gokudera spat and turned to walk away, obviously done. The guy scoffed but he didn't let that stop him.

Yamamoto's fingers twitched, and it was times like this that he missed the rough texture of his bat. It's not like he intended to bash the guy's head or something. He just spent a lot of time practising with it that whenever he was stressed or feeling down, swinging for some time used to release some tension.

It's also the reason why he broke his arm, but he wasn't going to walk through that rail of thoughts. No, what was important was getting out of this situation without much trouble, just as Gokudera obviously was trying to do.

It was clear the Italian bomber had a past he wasn't proud of, as the cocky guy was oh so bluntly trying to remind him. And although he wanted to know it and somehow be part of it, he didn't want to know it like this.

"There's a rumour going around that someone tied a leash on you, is that right?"

"What is it to you?"

"Did you finally bend to someone? I had a great laugh when I heard the mighty Hayato had become a maid to a wimp"

" _ Vaffanculo! _ "

Gokudera snarled angrily and grabbed some dynamite. He promised himself he wouldn't draw attention or get in trouble to help the brunette have an easy day and enjoyable vacation. But he just couldn't contain his fury anymore.

It was bad enough the fear and worry he had over the missing girl, add some nameless bastard he used to associate with daring to mock him and antagonise him. He didn't care what he said about him, jeers and taunts didn't hurt him anymore. But he couldn't let some jackass harass and mock his Boss.

Because as her right-hand man, it was his duty and mission to protect her from any harm. He took one step forward and moved his arm, but before he could blast that bastard to oblivion, Yamamoto stepped in and punched the idiot in the face.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Reborn was at odds with this.

A few hours ago, he would have thrown the brunette to the wolves without a second thought, but knowing what he does now made him pause. And he hated it.

The brunette was a roller-coaster, it was a wild ride with ups and downs. There were some slow curves and some thrilling falls that made his days more enjoyable. But just like any other ride, there were dangerous risks and an imminent end waiting.

Slowly, he was starting to see her for what she really was.

A black hole, silently pulling him towards an edge of destruction.

And it was annoyingly exhilarating, so he acted the only way he knew. By being a spartan tutor and training her to become the very best. Tsuna responded accordingly to his whims, she whined and cried over his ruthless actions but always finished them and soaked every lesson he hit her with.

But this was a different kind of training altogether. One couldn't just train somebody else's flames. It was unnatural and unpredicted, not because their elements weren't the same, but because each flame ran differently in each user. It was their imprint, something raw that belonged to just themselves.

So relying on pure experiences was all they could hope for at the moment. And the brunette just had to be the biggest oddity for him to mould and shape.

It's been 20 minutes since the brunette fell down towards the training grounds of Mafia Land and knowing her, she was probably crying on a corner. It was good though, it gave them time to prepare the machines and let the girl calm down on her own.

If she followed her intuition, it will lead her to a big training area different from the previous one, for this was an underground open space with real landscapes and training necessities.

Giannini was busy with the controls, he wanted to personally monitor the girl in action while her flames were active. Her fight with Mukuro showed pure raw power and although she slept for a day and was almost devoured by her own flames, the outcome could be due to multiple variables of that day, - stress, anger, fear, guilt, grief- so this test could help them narrow it down.

Speaking of Mukuro, he will have to reinforce his training. It wouldn't be wise to let the brunette share her mind so freely, not while there was a risk of her becoming influenced by external forces.

Lal was at his side, busy typing something on her phone. He was curious if it was Vongola related or not, it seemed serious by the frown on her face. But if it was, then Nono should have contacted him by now. He would leave that for later though, for she suddenly turned towards the window of the control room they were at as a low chiming tune sounded.

"The idiots are here" She announced dryly and he blinked down to see the doors opening to reveal the brunette walking calmly while chatting with an energetic blond soldier on her shoulder.

"Lal! Hey, Lal! Have you seen Tsuna?! Look at her! It's Tsuna! But bigger! Lal!" Colonnello waved wildly.

"We actually met yesterday" Tsuna confessed, at which the soldier gasped and glared at the control tower.

"And you didn't tell me!? Kora! The betrayal!"

"Shut up, idiot!" Lal snapped back from the microphone. Her angry voice was enough to shut them despite not being able to see her.

Just then, a black blur landed in front of them. Reborn stood in his impeccable black suit, fedora in head and looking as if jumping from a height of 20 meters was something remarkable.  _ It was, but Tsuna wasn't going to think of that. _

"So… What's this about?" She asked instead, still wary of the whole situation.

"You and the idiot are going to fight. I don't want you pulling your punches"

"Just that?"

"If you bullied her instead of training, I will kill you, kora"

"I want to see how your flames react in a fight. You know the drill"

He handed her familiar patches and bands. She grabbed them and stretched her neck to see the control room where she was able to distinguish the figure of Giannini waving back at her.

"Don't ignore me, you bastard!" The soldier aimed his rifle at the Hitman and fired, at which Reborn dodge and drew his gun to fire back.

Tsuna stared at them dumbly before snorting. It's a rivalry, all right.

While the two Arcobaleno were busy exchanging bullets, she thought about changing her clothes. And after staring for a minute at the still fighting babies, she decided to do just that.

She walked towards a door that led to the control tower and found a waiting room with lockers inside. She placed the gadgets over the bench and took off her bag to grab her training clothes.

They were nothing special, just some jogging pants and an old t-shirt. Luckily, she had claimed her closet back so she was wearing a grey sports-bra under her shirt. She then placed the patches on her chest and elbow and the bands around her wrist and ankle.

Once they were secured, she went to take the last item she would need from her bag. The mittens. She stared at them in silence, wondering if they would come alive if she so willed them too. But as she slipped them in, all they did was hide her shaking fingers inside.

The heavy realization of what was about to happen made her sit on the bench to ground herself. Taking advantage that she was alone, she prepared herself for the beating that awaited her, and although she trusted Colonnello not to hurt her, fighting him was going to be gruelling for the simple fact that she was going to light her flames, again.

She hasn't told Reborn, of course she can't tell him. But lighting the Sky flames was an arduous feeling. It scared her yet at the same time, she desired it. She felt strong and serene, it was an addictive feeling to have her worries and fears just wash away, which is why it was hard to part with them.

Something inside of her just clung to the flames, refusing to let go despite the burning in her veins. She felt tired and hollow after they were gone, and she wondered if perhaps this was her intuition letting her know that there was something wrong.

She would have to try talking with Verde behind the hitman's back because although Shamal meant good, she wasn't sure if she could trust him. These tests were meant for something else, not just simple monitoring. Besides, Verde could have a more insightful view of these flames and how to use them. All she needed now was to buy a new phone so that Reborn couldn't track her movements.

"Sawada, get out if you're done" Lal's sudden voice made her jump from her seat. A quick look around reassured her that it only came from the speakers. Still, she wouldn't wait for the second call in case Lal did decide to come down for her.

She stretched her arms up until her back stretched enough and let her shoulders fall. She walked out towards the door she came from and halted with a sweatdrop as the two Arcobaleno were still fighting. She quickly took the moment to tie her hair back up in a ponytail, just as Lal's annoyed voice rang through the whole area.

"Knock it off, you idiots!" Lal shouted irritated, and although Reborn was all that happy to continue, Colonnello backed down at the angry order immediately. Guess she wasn't the only one still intimidated by Lal, good.

Seeing as there was no danger to step over a crossfire, she walked towards them. They had destroyed part of the training ground, what seemed to be boulders of rocks were now just dust gathering on the ground. What the hell is wrong with these two?

"W-What am I going to do?"

"Fight him, Dame-Tsuna. And don't lose"

"You said I should expect hell"

"Nah, that's just the name of my training camp. You're safe with me, kiddo"

_ It's not you I'm afraid of _ , she wanted to say but her voice got stuck in the throat by her nerves returning.

"Warm-up. And Dame-Tsuna, don't embarrass me"

She grimaced and watched him disappear through a hidden compartment in the wall. Reality sank and she felt a shiver run down her spine because not only she had to fight with Colonnello while being torched with Sky flames, she was going to do that in front of Reborn AND Lal.

"Loosen up, kiddo. It will be fine, just dodge and punch, kora" The soldier tried to cheer her up at seeing her distressed face.

"O-Okay"

She nodded slightly and stretched her arms and legs for a bit, letting her mind wander to nonsense thoughts so as to not cloud it with pressure. Colonnello seemed to have the same idea because as he was stretching next to her, he kept talking.

"So, anything exciting happened to you?"

"Oh! I learned how to swim" She happily announced, but then her shoulders fell at remembering exactly how "Reborn almost drown me, but I can float on my own now"

"That's great! Not the drowning part, that bastard! He's going to pay"

"I also got a 100 on my Math exam!"

"Look at you, acing in school, kora" Colonnello grinned approvingly and it made her smile back with ease.

"Oi, you two. Less talking, more fighting" Lal growled from the intercom.

"Sorry, sir!" the soldier saluted before turning towards the brunette and craning his neck in anticipation "Ready, kiddo?"

"Not really…"

"I promise I won't be too hard on you"

"That's not why I'm worried..." She whispered and grounded her feet on the ground to wait for the impact.

"Tsuna, ready?" Reborn's voice came from the hidden speakers and she was allowed to take a deep breath before nodding.

Her body staggered backwards but managed to remain standing as the bullet sank deep in her head and wrapped her in a scorching embrace.

" _Merda Santa_!" Colonnello exclaimed in astonishment, his body was frozen in a half-way step when the bullet was fired at her head, but once the flickers of orange wisps came to life he was mesmerized and could do nothing but watch with awe as a crown of orange flames bloomed on her forehead, giving her face a glowing shadow that made her sunset eyes gleam.

"Ready?" She asked calmly, monotone voice showing no fear or excitement it previously had.

"Yes…"

"Idiot! Don't just stand there!"

"R-Right" Lal's voice snapped him out of his spell, but even then he still managed to give the brunette a dazed smile "This is going to be fun"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Up in the control room, the machines alerted something but Giannini reassured them everything was steady. The brunette's vital points and blood levels were normal as she started to move around, dodging bullets and some kicks while delivering punches of her own.

The flames in her clenched hands created an after echo as she moved, it was like she was painting streaks of orange blurs as she went around in hypnotic patterns. Like a spider web luring its prey in, they were truly a beautiful trap.

"She has sky flames" Lal stated quietly.

"Does the idiot of your boss even know? Everyone keeps getting surprised"

"We knew she had Vongola's blood, but never actually saw…" She shook her head as if dismissing a memory before continuing "It makes you wonder, was Vongola going to make her an heir without knowing the nature of her flames?"

"Seems like it"

"You have my pity, Reborn" She suddenly said, dry humour dancing on her voice as her eyes never once left the sight of the brunette girl dancing with orange flames "She's going to devour you"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"I can't believe you punched him"

"Are you really that surprised?"

"Why did you do it? Idiot, it's not like I needed help!"

"He was being mean to you and Tsuna"

"Ugg, now he's going to cry and babble to his famiglia on how you bullied him and come after you"

"If he does, I'll be ready. Come on, what's the worst that can happen?"

"Stop talking, you're like a jinxing box when you talk" Gokudera growled in his hands.

They were hiding behind some food stands after the encounter with the annoying guy. He was surprised at the action of the other boy, he seemed more like a pacifist than anything so seeing him punching a dude in the face was startling. It wasn't until the guy started cursing and threatening them that his body moved. He grabbed the arm of the baseball idiot and dragged him away as fast as he could.

He didn't know what famiglia the other guy was in league with. It's one of the reasons he didn't want to fight, if they found out he was with Vongola it will lead them to the brunette. Although a big part of him wanted to boast and brag about the pride it brought him, he also knew how dangerous it was.

And of course, the idiot at his side just had to act rashly and pretend to be a knight.

"Let's head to the castle, she might be there" He grumbled and cursed at himself for not bringing a cap to shield his face from view as his smart Juudaime did.

"Right, after you"

"And no more stupid stunts"

Yamamoto laughed in a carefree manner and followed him as they made their way through the crowded sections of the park to hopefully blend in.

It was noon, so the area was packed with people. It was good if you wanted to go unnoticed but not when you were searching for someone. Right now, the best thing they could do was hurry to get to the castle. As the main big attraction, it was possible the brunette had headed that way. And if not, then maybe they could use the park's speakers to call for the brunette.

As the looming towers of the castle made themselves known, they were met with another disturbance in the form of a black parade.

The crowd stopped to watch the people wearing black tracksuits march towards the castle. The funny helmets they wore made them seem like part of the park's attraction display but the white Kraken symbol painted on their chest was enough to flare alarm bells in his head.

"What's that?" Yamamoto asked, feeling his tense reaction at the spectacle.

"Trouble"

**.**

**.**

**.**

They were past the mark of 30 minutes of nonstop fighting. Although it seemed more like a warm-up match than a real fight. Colonnello was obviously pulling his punches, he would let the brunette run around and block her fiery hands, but he in return wasn't using any heavy artillery.

His rifle was locked on his back and the most damage he has done was kick her down from a boulder.

She was either a fast learner or was letting her intuition move her around because just as she was about to hit the ground, her hands flared with flames that pillowed the impact and she rose up to kick him back.

One could even say that they were playing around. The soldier would exclaim gleefully and give remarks here and then, and while the brunette remained silent, she wasn't biting more than she could chew. Or at least, it looked that way. She was panting but it was barely visible, her face showed no strain or fatigue as she kept running and jumping.

In summary, it was a boring match for the ones watching.

"This is stupid, they should be bleeding by now" Lal gruffed, her analytic mind already coming with dozens of counter moves both should have used while their opponent was open but didn't.

"Guess it was a bad idea to send the idiot"

"He has the heart of a puppy" She shook her head, her lips kept in a tight frown as to prevent them from curling up as she remembered how happy and energetic the blond was over meeting the brunette again. Oh, how he pestered her day and night for six years to know the whereabouts and wellbeing of the girl, and although she wanted to reassure him and ease his worries, her location and status had to remain a secret.

Another beeping from the machine broke her out from her thoughts. She was curious about what they were searching for. There was no need for a full inner body monitoring if you wanted to beat someone in training.

"What's this all about though? What are you analysing?" she voiced her question.

"Her progress"

"Yeah? Then why are you checking her heart rate?"

"That's confidential"

Reborn was annoying in his secretive answers. And although she knew she had no right to press for information as an external party, she  _ still  _ had the right to know.

Her glare was enough for Reborn to tilt his fedora, and with that action, it told her that he was willing to talk so long as she gave something in return. Just like she told the brunette to do.

"There's something I must know then" he said.

"Well, that's new. You usually don't ask, it must be something good if you don't know the answer" Lal crossed her arms in amusement.

"What happened when Tsuna was kidnapped?"

She wasn't expecting that question, at all.

"She told you?"

"Only that. There are no records or information regarding such event, but both Tsuna and Dino confirmed it happened"

"It happened" Lal reassured him in a quiet voice "The brat used to stay at Vongola's summer house, and despite my boss being a lovesick idiot, he placed guards around the area, both inside and out. But one night, she disappeared. No one went in or out of the house that day, and yet she vanished right in front of us"

"What did they do to her?"

"We don't know" She huffed in stress, frustration and tiredness all together. It still haunted her despite her tough demeanour, that memory of losing and getting the girl back was like a stab of ice shooting through her heart over and over.

Her eyes travelled to the window again, watching as the little girl she used to look after suddenly grew up to become a Mafia boss in training without her knowledge.

"She didn't had any wounds or signs of abuse when they rescued her a week later. There was nothing on her, Reborn. But something did happen, and it broke her"

Reborn frowned, taking the information in and compared it with what he had gathered. Showcasing no signs of abuse or injuries discarded the main possibilities of his hypothesis.

But there was trauma and self-isolation, a Sky user rejecting its nature relentlessly. And everyone's surprise and awe and gobsmack reactions at seeing the brunette porting the crown of flames led to other possibilities.

Flames.

There was a bitter rage in his throat at that single thought. While it wasn't uncommon for the deranged underground to experiment on humans, dealing with flames seemed almost sacred. But this was the Mafia they were dealing with, anything was possible when given the chance. And who wouldn't want to get their hands on her?

Yet still, for someone to take an unbounded young Sky, Vongola's no less and hear no word about it was weird. There were no tracks or records regarding the situation, Vongola was keeping it quiet as if it never existed. But Lal's words rang true, they don't know what happened before or after.

The only one who holds the answer is Tsuna herself.

It could explain everything and more, but what if it's not? What if it's something else?

"Reborn-san, her levels are dropping!" Giannini exclaimed, bringing him back from his thoughts. He quickly snapped one look towards his student where he saw her destroy a boulder with one punch.

The Sky flames cracked bright, the leather of the gloves giving her hand the protection needed to shield any external material harming her skin, but they weren't pain-proof. That hit should have hurt and even harmed her fingers if she punched with too much force, but there was no pain on her, just a frown marring her face.

"Any difference from yesterday?"

"It's falling fast"

"Print a chart. Compare both, I'm pulling her out"

Lal stepped aside, her curious stare following Reborn as he jumped towards another table where some papers were being processed. Another beep from the machine had the hitman press for a button from a small microphone near the table.

"We're done for today. Dame-Tsuna, down"

His order surrounded the whole training area through the speakers, Colonnello stopped right away with a huff as he took a breath to uncoil his muscles but a flash of light had him jump quickly to the side when the brunette went to hit him.

Of course she didn't listen.

"Oi" Lal called, stepping closer to the window to observe the Sky flames flare dangerously. The analogy from before had turned backwards, the flames now seem to be the prey trapped in an invisible thread, fighting to survive.

"Tsuna, we're done" The hitman repeated with more force to snap the girl out from her trance.

"Kiddo?" The soldier called, bringing his hands up to be prepared for any movement. He watched confused as the girl came to halt in front of him, chest heaved in silent breaths and hands fisted tightly over dancing flames.

Everyone remained tense for a minute as the brunette stood unmoving and staring ahead, her orange eyes gleaming with an unfamiliar light that wasn't there before. And then suddenly, for the first time since the bullet collided in her head, her face morphed to one of discomfort and pain.

"Woah there, you good? Breathing okay?" Colonnello quickly stepped closer but she flinched back violently.

"Tsuna?" the hitman called "Tsuna, breathe. Come back,  _ Will _ it out"

The brunette could hear them, but their voices sounded so far away, like an underwater echo where she was falling deeper and deeper and was barely able to cling to the surface.

With this being the third time entering hyper dying will mode, she came to the sudden realization that there wasn't a button to turn it off. The other times, she had unconsciously triggered the function as her body screamed to be released. But now, she was awake and trapped.

Breathing did nothing but focus on the other matter at hand, her intuition becoming louder.

Her fiery hands clasped over her ears as she shut her eyes in concentration through the pain. It was like a torrent of wind was screeching in her head, voices and whispers mingling together in a cacophony of silent noises.

They were screaming and singing, telling her what to do but begging not to. She could feel her head splitting in two by the intense fight in her head. She knew how to _ will  _ it down, but she didn't want to.

**T̵͈͉u-̶̨̈́͌a̸͍̤͑̇r̷͓͙͒-̶͉̥̑m̴̻̘̎̃e̴͓̽͝**

"I think I'm going to puke" She moaned weakly.

"Uh, um. Here, my hands!"

Lal scrunched her nose as the brunette suddenly fell to her knees and proceeded to empty her stomach. The Sky flames that once shined brightly became dim and small until they disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Colonnello panicked the moment the brunette fell, but he quickly jumped over to her side and patted her on the back and while making sure no vomit was being splashed his way. He didn't think twice to send a wave of calming rain flames that were greedily consumed by the shivering girl.

"Reborn, what's this about?" Lal demanded, taken aback by the strong reaction.

"She can't control them" the hitman said with a frown of his own while reading the results from the test. He was turned sideways, and just like his chameleon pet, he had an eye on the paper and the other one to his retching student.

Colonnello was doing wonders at calming her down, and although they didn't know how her body would react to someone else's flames on her, at least she hadn't fainted.

Lal didn't expect this, at all. She knew the girl must have activated some flames if she was a candidate to become a Mafia boss. But she didn't expect it to be Vongola and she didn't expect the Sky flames that came with it.

Though, it was logical the girl was having problems if her nonexistence flames just recently popped-up. At least, that's what she thought but then Reborn confessed something else, something more horrifying than unexpected.

"Her flames are hurting her"

That shocked her. It was almost unheard of, at least she hasn't heard of something like that ever happening. Having trouble manifesting the Will of the flame, sure. Having difficulties in using the flames, of course. But not harm, not pain.

The whole situation just seemed so unnatural. Even more so, knowing which blood the brunette carried. In other terms, she was practically a pureblood and yet...

And yet...

There was no time to ponder or question further as a familiar low tremor travelled around her body. She mentally cursed and turned to see Reborn glaring down at his chest, or more specifically, at his lighted up pacifier.

"Well, shit"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Gokudera has done enough reckoning missions to know the drill. As soon as the parade started breaking apart and infiltrating through the crowds while heading to the castle, he was on alert mode.

He had to regretfully drag the idiot around, if it were just them he would have left him to his luck, but his boss would be sad about that, so here they were. Hiding behind some ferns, they were monitoring the trespassers by making sure they were following one path and not harming others. He couldn't see guns, but just because they weren't there didn't mean they weren't armed.

"Can you see anything?" Yamamoto asked while peeking through the leaves.

"Shh!" He quickly tugged him down before someone spotted him. Really, he was so bad this whole espionage thing.

Some of the intruders walked past their hiding place, and he was, fortunately, able to hear part of their plan.

"Today is the day!" One of the men exclaimed "The Carcassa Famiglia will reign this land!"

"Fuck" He cursed, recognizing that name and getting an insight into what was probably going to happen.

"What now?" Yamamoto asked him quietly.

"Juudaime's inside for sure. We need to break in" His eyes were fixed on the white castle, where the men in black helmets were marching through. The girl was really precautious as to hide her identity, if someone found out that she was Vongola, all eyes and weapons will be pointed at her.

It would've been so easy to form an alliance with other Mafiosi under Vongola's name, and together they could fight and prevent a war from escalating. But that wasn't what his boss wanted, he understood that. So as her loyal right-hand man, he needed to get her to safety.

The ex-baseball player suddenly tugged at his shirt, and he was ready to scold him but stopped when he saw the boy pointing towards something.

"I see our way in"

It was a stupid simple plan, but it could work. All they needed now was those armoured suits for their disguise to be complete. Nothing that a bomb couldn't fix in knocking those men unconscious and stealing their uniforms.

"Let's go"

He could only hope that his boss was okay.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"You okay there, Sawada?"

"Yeah"

She felt kinda offended that Lal was on watch duty while she was taking a shower. After throwing up in front of Colonnello, her old mentor had come down in a screaming fit and took her away to clean herself. The locker room where she stored her clothes had some showers stands that she missed when she first walked in. It just showed how out of it she really was of the situation.

At least Lal had the decency to face the other way while she waited for the water to stop running, but she would call her every few minutes to make sure she hadn't drowned while standing up. The brunette couldn't help but feel that she made a fool out of herself out there. She felt kinda pathetic about that, the tiredness in her muscles and the embarrassment she was feeling were trying to pull her down. She wanted nothing more than to hide underneath a blanket and forget about the whole ordeal.

Although her mind reassured her that no one was going to tease or scold her, she still felt really bad.

After she puked, she felt like all her stress was thrown away and now the sprinkling water of the shower was warming her to the point of dozing her. It was actually a good thing that Lal kept waking her. Though she wished to remain there, the quicker she was out of here the quicker she could go back to the ship and sleep.

Slowly, she turned the water off and wrapped a towel around her body. Her skin felt instantly cold at the lack of a warmth source, the vapour around her did nothing but cause shivers to appear on her sensitive skin.

Quickly drying and changing back to the clothes she came in, she walked back to the locker section where she proceeded to sit on a bench to put on her shoes. Lal moved the moment she walked in and turned her way, but Tsuna immediately hid her face with a towel, keeping busy and drying her hair while avoiding looking at the other.

"I'm sorry"

"For what?" Lal asked with confusion and a raised eyebrow, not understanding the apology of the brunette.

"I don't know" She murmured, fidgeting with her hands on her hair as she tried to gasp her line of thoughts.

"Don't be an idiot, Sawada. Let's go" Her old mentor said, not pressing on the issue further. Her hair was still wet and probably a tangled mess, but she didn't bring a comb to mat it down. Guess her hyper intuition didn't work for petty things.

Lal waited for her to finish tying her shoes before jumping down and heading to open the door. She grabbed her bag and followed her out of the room, the other two Arcobaleno were already there waiting and they both turned to see them once the door opened. Seeing no sign of the engineer, she dimly wondered what Giannini was actually doing with her records.

"Let's take you back, kiddo. You're probably hungry" Colonnello approached her to pat her on the leg. She would have knelt to pick him up and hold him, but the shame of puking literally on him prevented that, so she gripped the bag's straps and nodded with a weak smile.

Reborn's silence was what made her more nervous, she didn't know what he was thinking or planning, nor what he actually wanted to achieve with this mock battle. It gave her an uncomfortable feeling, knowing that he was searching for something that involved her and wasn’t telling her.

She exhaled quietly to release the pressure in her chest and started to walk while following the Arcobaleno. Lal and Colonnello kept giving her points of her fight, some good and some bad, and although they were good advice her tired mind wasn't keeping up with them.

Reborn suddenly stopped, making them all follow his sample. 

The action made her look down at him, noting for the first time his glowing yellow pacifier. She stared at it in wonder, her mind pulsing in a pleasant throb as she thought on what could inflict such a reaction. Her lips parted when Colonnello's own blue pacifier reflected the same action, and her skin bristled in tiny sparks when further in the hallway, where the shadows seemed to loom in front of them, a purple light shone and answered back the call.

Soon, the dark tendrils made way to reveal a little baby wearing armour and a white helmet advancing towards them, and in his chest, the glowing orb seemed to shine brighter as in greeting; another Arcobaleno.

"R-Reborn! This is the day that I-

Whatever he was going to say died as soon as Reborn kicked him and sent him flying back into the darkness of the hallway.

The hell just happened? She blinked in confusion. Reborn calmly returned to his previous place as if nothing had occurred. Not a few seconds later, the other baby walked back towards them and pointed at the hitman with a shaking finger.

"Today is the day that I shall take my revenge!"

"Great, it's the other idiot" Lal rolled her eyes at the proclamation.

Tsuna confusion quickly melted as her brain triggered by the information and identity of the newcomer.

"Hey! It's Skull!"

"Y-You know me?" He took a step back, startled by her calling him out.

"Dame-Tsuna" Reborn warned her but Tsuna olympically ignored him by walking towards the other Arcobaleno.

"I saw you perform when I was little. You were so cool! The way you flew and crashed but stood up again, it was amazing! I still have your autograph!" She exclaimed brightly, there was a happy aura around her that had Skull completely entrapped.

"Who is this angel?" He whispered in astonishment.

"She's Tsuna. Pretty girl, right?" Colonnello said with a grin, at which the stuntman dumbly nodded. Lal snorted at the whole display.

"Say, can I have a new autograph?"

The stuntman stared at her through his helmet in silence, before he suddenly did a full jump and huddled on into himself as he quickly whispered into whatever mic he had on his helmet.

" _ Abort mission, abort mission" _

" **_But, Boss. You're the mission"_ **

" _ Abort!" _ He whispered harshly before hanging up and turning around as if nothing had happened "I can never refuse my beloved fans. Shall I recite my latest adventure?"

"Die" Reborn shot him in the chest and Tsuna watched in bewilderment as the bullet collided on his chest and sent Skull flying away from her.

"Reborn, don't be mean!"

"He had it coming" Lal said with amusement, and even Colonnello snickered. She gaped at them in indignation at the unfair treatment. Feeling sorry for Skull, she could very well empathize with him due to being on the receiving end of Lal's past torments and Rebron's current ones.

As if feeling her sympathy for him, Skull ran towards her and hugged one of her legs.

"Tsuna, Reborn is bullying me"

"There, there. I know the feeling" She smiled in pity and leaned down to pat him on the helmet. Of course, the hitman had to ruin everything with a green springing boxing glove that came out of nowhere; in other words Leon.

"Stay away from her, you leech"

"Reborn!"

"We better go, anyway. You need to rest too" Colonnello said, pushing her slightly to keep walking.

"I'm tagging along!" Skull raised his hand, the beating apparently not destroying his confidence. She could learn a lot from him.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Lal demanded as the five of them trekked their way out from the training grounds. And as they kept going through the hallway, Tsuna's heart constricted in her gut when they walked through the crossroad she once stood. And with a sense of bitterness she realized that if she had chosen the right path, the one she was walking on, it would have led her to the exit. 

Yet her intuition selfishly led her to the other side.

"I was hired for a mission"

"So a lackey"

"S-Shut up! If you must know, I was recruited for an important operation. My presence was the game changer!"

"Just a lackey"

Skull fumed by her side and she smiled for a little bit. Suddenly though, before she realized it, her feet stopped walking and the feeling of resentment was soon replaced by one of distress.

"Tsuna?" Colonnello called her when she stopped walking,

"Something's… not right…" She whispered, as her eyes remained fixed ahead. Her cursed intuition was warning her of something, whatever laid ahead was dangerous and risky but whatever it was, no harm would come her way. That she was sure.

She flinched when the hitman suddenly jumped on her shoulder to use her as a ride, but his presence grounded her back to reality.

"Let's go" Reborn said, slightly encouraging her to keep going forwards.

The others were confused by her quiet warning though Lal seemed to guess what was happening. They marched forward in silence, and by every step they neared to the door at the end of the hall, the trained senses of the Arcobaleno alerted them of the unknown scuffle happening outside.

It was Colonnello who took action first, by releasing his rifle and banging the door open. It revealed a battle royal happening at the lobby of the white castle. Some families and people were hiding beneath the tables while others tried to dodge bullets and fists as they made an escape.

"What's going on, kora!" The soldier threw himself into battle, heading towards the fallen table to help the people there get out while firing at whoever crossed his path.

"Everyone, stand down. This is Skull, your commander, stand down"

"I thought he was the lackey"

"Stand down!"

Tsuna froze at the sight, people were running and screaming, firing bullets and fighting for whatever reason. The sight of blood splashing around whenever a bullet hit someone made her heart squeeze in terror.

She barely felt Reborn shifting in her shoulder and Leon morphing into a gun as a guy in black helmet approached her in a jog.

"Yo! Tsuna" He called cheerfully and the brunette was confused as hell to see the ex-baseball player beneath the helmet. He was sweaty and tired as if he had run a mile, but his smile was nothing but relieved. She had so many questions and scoldings, nevermind that Reborn almost shot him, what the heck was he even doing at a crossfire?

"Yamamoto?" She weakly asked, still perturbed at the fact that he was on the line of fire. He laughed at seeing her dumbfounded stare and waved at his attire.

"Oh, it's not like that. We use this to sneak in and gather intel on this play, smart huh?"

He was actually proud of the plan, and although it was somehow ingenious, she was mentally begging Colonnello not to shoot this idiot, or the other one.

"Juudaime! You're safe!" Another helmet wearing figure approached her fast, and if it weren't for the way he addressed her, she would still know who it was for the way he was searching her entire body for any wound.

"Gokudera-kun, what the hell?"

"Stay with your boss, kids"

"Reborn!" The hitman left her shoulder to join the fight, and looking around she saw the others tagging along "Wait, Lal?! Oh my god!"

"Juudaime, I'm taking you out of here. The situation is being contained here, no outside forces have attacked the park" He told her, finally removing his helmet to reveal sweaty silver strands glued to his forehead.

"Fuck, my mom" She said before remembering what the feeling has been telling her all day "She's fine, she's fine. Okay, W-We need to move, um..."

"Take cover!"

Tsuna immediately grabbed both boys and threw them back through the door she just came from. She quickly slammed it close, just in time as a loud thud collided with it.

"How do we get out?"

"We can either wait here for the fight to end or we make our way through"

"You can't dodge bullets, he can't dodge bullets and I'm done with flying bullets!" She exclaimed half in hysterics and half in anxiety. Gokudera placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her wide eyes with a reassuring look.

"Juudaime, please listen to me. Nothing is going to hurt you, I promise. If this idiot survived the break-in, we will survive the break-out. Trust me"

She didn't need her intuition rubbing it on her face to know they were going to make it. Perhaps it was the way his eyes held her panicked stare, maybe it was the confidence in his voice or the reassuring comfort on her shoulders. At that moment she could honestly say she believed that.

"Okay"

"That was so manly" Yamamoto said, breaking Gokudera's mood.

"Shut up, idiot!"

Tsuna took a deep breath to calm her nerves before letting it go. There was no time to doubt, this was the moment to pause and listen to every training and advice she has been taught. They didn't have any weapons, they didn't have any shields.

So Lesson #5, when in trouble, run.

"Let's go"

"Right behind you"

Gokudera opened the doors very slightly and peered through, seeing that the coast was clear, he signalled them to come out. He stepped in front of her as she walked out, the situation had diminished greatly by the Arcobaleno interference, but she didn't wish to stay back and admire their work.

They ran towards the exit, making sure to stay by the wall, which was the safest area at the moment. They seemed to be the only non-fighters in the room, which made them visible targets. The men in helmets were confused to see two boys wearing their armour but no helmet guarding a girl. But whenever someone approached them, Gokudera would throw dynamite to scare the attackers out of their path.

Luckily, and by fate's good grace, they made their escape safely with Reborn and Colonnello guarding their backs as they ran from the castle.

They didn't stop running, not until they were very far away, probably on the other side of the park. But once someone slowed down, the other two followed until they came to a unanimous halt and panted harshly while leaning on something.

"Phew, that was intense" Yamamoto said, almost choking on his own spit as he swallowed mid-sentence.

"S-Shut...up.." Gokudera breathed deeply before turning to see his boss leaning on her knees. "Juudaime, are you alright?"

"You look pale, are you gonna throw up?" Yamamoto walked closer to her with a worried expression.

"'m fine" She panted.

"Go get some juice. And candy" Gokudera ordered the other boy, and he was just going to do that but Tsuna stopped him by grabbing his hand.

"N-No, let's just wait for Reborn. They are almost done" She swallowed before exhaling and looked up at them with a weak smile. "I'm fine, just shaken"

"Take a breath and walk around. It helped me relax before a game" Yamamoto advised her and she nodded.

Under their watchful stares, she walked slowly in circles around them, feeling her heart slowing down and muscles uncoiling. She was still on edge, probably will be until she returned home and was safely back at her house, even knowing that the Mafia will no doubt follow her back, at least running away from here will let her breathe properly.

On her ninth turn, she felt something at the back of her neck. It was like a pinching sensation, accompanied by a buzzing sensation in her head that she has come to recognize. A warning. When she turned, there was a young man smiling flirtatiously at her a couple of steps away.

" _ Ciao Bella _ " He greeted her "Are you Japanese? You're so beautiful,  _ belladonna _ !"

"Oi, get lost" Gokudera immediately stalked over with a glare, hands grabbing some dynamite to show his hostility towards the newcomer.

" _Che scocciatore_ " The guys sneered at him before flipping a hand through his hair and turned towards the brunette with a charming smile "Have lunch with me, _per_ _favore_? I can show you a good time"

First the pretty boy, now this guy? Tsuna was getting tired of men just coming at her with ill intentions. It was making her sick and bristled inside.

She had a crappy day, first waking up at dawn to train, getting lost in a goddamn mafia park, being flirted at as if she was an object, falling down and fighting a panic attack, fighting an Arcobaleno and puking in his shoes, walking through a crossfire and running away has finally drained her. She was just done! She didn't need another lecherous man to lust after her.

Lesson #6, when life annoys you, punch it in the face.

So when the guy tried to touch her arm, she finally snapped and punched him just in time for the other party to arrive and see her knock down the man. Colonnello whistled in awe, even Lal made a pleasant noise of acknowledgement at the action.

"Oh my god, she's been tainted" Skull cried with his hands on his head "She's awesome but scary, Tsuna, no!"

The man grunted and held his jaw as he stood up, rage taking his features as he advanced towards the girl. Gokudera immediately stood in front of her, his protective stance shielding her away. Even Yamamoto walked closer to them with a frown but was soon distracted by the babies.

"Why you little-

No one cared what he had to say as he harshly choked and fell once again to the ground, revealing a green dart sticking to the back of his neck. And this time, Tsuna didn't care what that dart meant.

"That was amazing, Juudaime!" Gokudera exclaimed while gently turning her away from the body.

"Why don't you scold Tsuna for punching someone too?" Yamamoto said with a pout.

"You punched someone?"

"Yeah, there was this guy-

"It was no one important, Juudaime"

"Its Tsuna. You lose 30 points"

"He actually lost 50"

"I-... I'm deeply sorry, Boss" The Italian bomber bowed repeatedly, making the brunette feel awkward as people were starting to look over.

"It's fine. Good work today?"

"Yes! Thank you!" That only made him bow even more.

She giggled dryly, having no more strength to use. It was something everyone noticed.

"You look tired" The ex-baseball player pointed and laughed amusedly when her stomach grumbled "And hungry"

"Right, I puked my lunch"

"Juudaime, please, let me escort you to the food stands" He offered his arm to her.

"Call me Tsuna" She insisted on autopilot and looped her arm with his so that she could walk without stumbling.

Yamamoto watched them go in silence, having chosen to remain behind for a little bit. It sure was a crazy day for him, losing control and wanting to protect his friends was turning him into something he didn't know he could become. He didn't know if it was a good thing or not, or if the change was for the better or the worse.

He just wanted to stay with them.

Training with his dad was helping him keep up with whatever game they found themselves in. Whether it was fighting people, training together or running around. He just wished it could become so much more than that.

He wasn't startled when a sudden weight landed on his shoulder, he was becoming familiar with such a move. The little kid with the fedora sure loved to use his shoulders like a transport whenever the brunette wasn't available.

"Any thoughts on today?" Reborn asked.

"I was worried for her safety but knew she was with you so I didn't panic. But, should I have?"

"Would it have made a difference?"

"I don't know. I don't think I would have kept my cool if I was worried, probably wouldn't know what to do. I tried to follow them and we work together just fine, but in the end, they still seem to pull away from me"

He confessed sadly but his eyes soon lighted up as Tsuna turned back to search for him.

"Guess I gotta try harder" He said with a wistful smile. Reborn tilted his fedora in acknowledgement of his resolve and jumped down, though he did have some parting words in return.

"Not too hard or you'll get burn" Yamamoto apparently didn't hear him, or chose not to comment because he ran back to stand on the left side of the brunette. Reborn watched the trio talk among themselves until they became lost in the crowd, people mingling and having fun, not being aware of the bloodshed that occurred a few minutes ago.

"What do we do with the body?" Colonnello asked while kicking the man on the ground.

"Let's throw it to the ocean"

"Have fun, I'm taking this idiot for questioning" Lal snatched Skull and started to drag him away despite his protests.

"B-but Lal! It wasn't my doing! I helped! Wait, Senpai!"

With Leon's help in rope mode, they dragged the man around towards a deserted part on the side of the park, where a metal fence protected the borders with the ocean. With no trouble, they threw the man over the fence and watched him sink down without a trace. Mafia Land was a secure place for people to enjoy a day without worrying about the underground troubles, but that didn't mean there weren't shadows lurking at every corner.

Suddenly, a white hawk suddenly landed on the soldier's head, making him exclaim in happiness.

"Falco, where have you been, boy? kora!" The hawk cried and pointed its beak towards the horizon, where they could see dozens of ships sailing away at a fast speed.

"Hmm, so the lackey planned to attack after all"

"Great thing Tsuna turned him around with her smile, kora"

"She tends to do that"

"Is that why you're pulling away from her?"

Reborn almost kicked him towards the ocean but refrained from such childish manners. At least for now. The other didn't have the right to tease or question his actions when the soldier was the one who kept hugging and admiring the girl through all day. And where will that leave them? Torn and used.

They both had responsibilities, they were chained by them. Just like Tsuna was shaping hers, he had no intention of being shackled down by her.

His relationship with the brunette was that of a student and tutor, nothing more, nothing else. He didn't have to gossip with her or sugar-coat her life, so long as he did his job and she excelled at it, that was all he wanted.

Colonnello gave him a knowing smirk as if reading his thoughts and calling them a lie. But no matter, if the idiot wanted to get struck down by the brunette's allure, that was going to be his downfall, not his.

So he simply turned and walked away.

**.**

**.**

**.**

As soon as she walked towards the food stands, they were ironically reunited with the others near the cotton-candy stand. Her mother immediately questioned her pale face, at which she confessed to having thrown up due to some intense ride. With her mother's insistence, they all returned to the cruise for a well deserved meal and rest.

Mushroom cream and a bubble bath sat perfectly well for her, Tsuna was ready to end the day. But alas, it was too good to be true. The kids were excitedly telling her of their adventures in the aquarium and the other rides she missed. It was mostly Lambo boasting around while Fuuta made fun of him, which led the kid to scream and Ipin to calm them down.

Then Bianchi came out from her shower wearing a green facemask, which scared the kids and led Gokudera to faint. It was amusing, but the noise was keeping her from falling asleep. She didn't want to disturb her mother, who had fallen asleep without much trouble in her own room, so in a moment of worn-out courage, she grabbed a pillow and stepped out for a moment.

She took advantage that Reborn wasn't in the cabin and that the kids were drawing on Gokudera's face to get out. Yamamoto might have seen her walk out, but he was drowsily watching the kids have fun and she couldn't feel him following her. She couldn't feel anyone, as a matter of fact. So with quiet steps, she climbed over to the deck where she proceeded to curl down in a beach chair.

She felt drained from the day, and although a part of her wanted to cry, the other one just wanted to fall asleep. They were staying on the cruise for another two days, and then they were going back to Japan, back to their normal lives. What was normal to her anymore?

Standing Reborn's training, going to school, fighting a crazy weirdo, surviving the day… the list could go on and on. Everything just felt tiring to her, and sometimes; at little moments in time, she wondered if it was worth it. It was a question she had no answer to, for her intuition wisely chose to remain silent whenever she pondered on it. And that silence was far scarier than anything else.

She hugged the pillow closer to her chest and curled her legs further when Colonnello approached her by jumping over the chair she was laying on.

"Okay kiddo, let's talk, kora. What's bothering you?" He finally asked what he wanted to know after the whole training episode.

"It's nothing"

"It's -not- nothing. Come on kid, talk to me. You used to chatter nonstop at our tea parties"

A smile curled on her lips at those memories. Every afternoon was tea-party time, filled with biscuits and blueberries and cake and tea, it was every little girl's dream. Everything seemed perfect and easy when she was a kid, she bitterly wished to return to those days when everything was simple.

Talking to Colonnello was easy, maybe it was because of their past or the mere calming presence he carried with him, but after such a tiring day, she found herself opening up a little without thinking.

"It's just… something's wrong with me… I know, I can feel it, but I don't know why. And it scares me" She closed her eyes and hugged the pillow tighter "Reborn doesn't… I can't talk to him. I feel like I'm going crazy"

"You're not crazy, kid. Just lonely"

"Yeah…"

They stayed in silence after that, not forcing or pressing the other to talk. It was calming, being there with the cool breeze and the cruise rocking her to an almost lull. But she couldn't sleep, not yet. So she opened her eyes and turned to see the sky.

The sight was breathtaking, it was a clear sky with nothing but stars shining brightly. It made her feel small and human while staring at such a vast canvas. Like she was part of something far greater than just a mafia doll. Dark and empty but carrying little lights that lighted their way into the dark, she dimly wondered if perhaps that was going to be her fate.

She knew she wasn't alone. Her mother's unconditional love was a force that made her keep on living every day with a smile and hope to see the tomorrow. Whenever she had trouble with school or trivial things, she knew she could count on her mother for everything. But there was a line she was never going to cross, a line that led to a desolated future.

Some days it felt like she was the only star in the sky, burning brightly to try and not die, but little by little that shine was starting to dim.

She was brought back to earth by Colonnello shifting next to her. He had cosily leaned against the pillow in her chest, he was the one ready to just close his eyes and fall asleep. But even he was still alert, seeing as a new presence was joining them.

She blinked at Lal who was walking towards them. Her cape was gone, and she looked a little tired. She didn't know what would have brought her here, probably to watch over the idiots who apparently were planning to sleep under the stars.

"You'll get sick. Go back to your room" Or to scold her, that worked too.

"Mm" Though Tsuna wanted to move, her body was finally shutting down. She was very comfortable and too tired to get up, the soldier dozing on her seemed to agree by letting out a soft snore. For some reason, her old mentor didn't scream or hit them, she was frowning slightly and seemed to be thinking hard on something. "Lal?"

"There's something you should know, brat" It was costing her, whatever it was that she wanted to say wasn't going to be easy. Knowing Lal, she would have told her whatever horror she wanted without a doubt, but seeing her wait and think on a way to break it to her was a little startling.

"What is it?"

"Iemitsu's coming to Japan"

Her eyes widened and lips parted in a silent gasp at that announcement. Lal was right to be wary of telling her, for she knew her heart wasn't ready for that. She was the only one who knew how things were on both sides, and for that man to suddenly appear back into her life after 6 years with no contact, after everything that happened…

Thoughts of returning home and living normal calming days were burnt as a newfound feeling brewed inside of her.

"Fuck"

**.**

**.**

**.**

He wasn't paid enough for this.

As a matter of fact, he wasn't paid at all. All the money he had saved was from his small inheritance and missions he took over the years as a solo-for-hire hitman while officially unemployed. It wasn't easy and he got hurt a lot, but he prevailed until the end if only to reach this day.

Had he known all the savings that were meant to last years were going to be wasted in a week for wine and meat, he would have opted for another plan. But no matter, everything was done and in motion, soon the fruits of their hardships will bloom and burn everything to the ground.

Just as it was meant to be from the start.

He kicked the door open in front of him in frustration, not only had his savings disappeared, but he was also assigned the role of the postman as the captain of the assassination squad.

"VOOI! Pack up! We're going to Japan"

He yelled, not caring if someone woke up due to the night-time hour. It was useless to care though, because the people inside the room were awake, a grinning kid watching TV and a greedy baby, who refused to share his income and help the cause, was counting mountains of coins at the table.

The boy turned to face him with a thirsty grin, his shoulders barely trembling in contained excitement at the news he longed to hear.

"Shishishi, Finally!"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's coming to town?
> 
> Something to clarify: The reason why both Gokudera and Tsuna pull away from Yamamoto (and other characters) is because of Omertà. They don't want to drag any civilians into Mafia troubles, but as the title of this chapter states, the Mafia IS already in.
> 
> Anyway, see you next week!


	16. Jump

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back, all you gorgeous people!
> 
> I'm so excited about starting this new arc. You could say I started this fic with this draft in mind and then it grew and became so much more. I just can't wait to write what's coming next.
> 
> Hope you guys like it, enjoy!

*

*

*

_*ty*w*l*_

_There was fire around them._

_The sounds of loud steps and heavy breaths clashed against the roaring flames that danced over the walls. The cracks on them grew the farthest they ran as if they were alive and stubborn in following them. They couldn't stop or the flames would engulf them, and even if they did, the walls would only crumble down on them._

_But they couldn't run forever, not with their weak bodies and wounds aggravating the more they stretched as they kept going through the long hallway. There was no one who could help them, no way to escape the inferno behind them or the war that awaited them. Yet they kept going, blindingly trusting that something could save them._

_But as the smoke cleared a little in front of them in their mad dash, they were able to see with grave horror a tall wall blocking their path._

" _It's a dead end!"_

_There was no moment to think, she turned and braced herself to meet the fire with welcoming arms._

_It was an explosion of force, a cocoon of protective flames that held the fire at bay, if only for a moment. The strength of it was too powerful, her legs threatened to buckle by the intensity and her arms shook alarmingly in strain._

" _Tsuna!"_

" _Go!" She roared, her eyes crying tears and mixing with the ash on her face as the heat made them burn and tingle. Yet she blinked and heaved and grounded her feet while pushing forwards with a yell, her muscles crying as she_ willed _her flames to shove and held the fire from reaching them._

_It was a chaotic view, the Sky flames mixing with the fire in a monochromatic wild blaze that crackled and scorched everything around them. The walls surrounding them were breaking and starting to crumble, some of the rubble that fell near her was soon turned to dust. But the heavy rocks from the roof were shaking in an effort to fall and not even her flames could shield her from that._

_Behind her, she was barely able to hear the sounds of urgent banging and blasting as the ground itself started to become heated by the magnitude of the fire surrounding them. Even her skin was starting to scald due to the hot steam and air. It felt heavy and searing. There was an oppressive force forming in her chest, slowly clutching her to the point her shallow breaths were painful._

_There was an explosion behind her, a sudden rush of air that made the fire behind her flames grow and spread and her knees almost yielded as she tried not to fall under the pressure and kept her flames alight._

" _Go!" She screamed hoarsely again as she managed to take one step forwards._

" _Tsunayuuki, you need to let go!"_

" _I can't-_

_She couldn't, because even if she dropped her made-up shield, by the time she turned to run the fire and rocks would ruthlessly grab her with no mercy. If this was the chance for them to survive, then so be it. And as if hearing her distressed plea, her own flames shot brightly to double the intensity in their force, tearing a guttural yell from her throat as her last energy was being forcefully yanked out of her._

_" -let go!"_

_She breathed out, and it was in that breath that her world shifted. The fire was blurring and the sounds decaying around her as she was starting to lose focus and becoming detached from the situation around her. Her body had stopped responding to the burns on her skin as her mind started to fog and travel somewhere far away from reality._

_Blinking the blur caused by the tears did nothing to clear her sight, for her head was feeling lightheaded and the only thing keeping her standing was her flames supporting her stance. The screams behind her and the crackling of the fire seemed like an echo now, it was as if she was plunged underwater and all her senses slowed._

_She blinked again and exhaled a shaky breath that shook her body along. What was once a sensation pinching her skin like tiny burning needles was changing and spreading like wasps on her skin, as little by little her trembling fingers started to feel numb as the air around her became dry and crisp._

_The feeling in her chest pressed tightly, making her release a choked gasp as she tried to take air as much as she could but the pressure was making it impossible, and as she released another desperate gasp, she was able to note with blurry eyes a white smoke coming out of her lips._

" _-can't…" She whispered._

" _-uki!"_

_Her body trembled in pain and effort, as oxygen was becoming lacking and difficult to breathe._

_Her once strained muscles that were clenched tight to hold up the shield were starting to become numb and paralyzed. It didn't matter that there was a blazing inferno around her, everything was starting to feel more like a snowstorm and ice burning her from within._

_She exhaled a frosted breath and trembled as little crystals started to form over the walls, shining down like tiny embers that grew and crawled all over the fire and embraced it like a frozen cloak._

_Everything stilled for a moment, the fire and rumbling from around came to halt, but the sudden ice that was protecting her didn't stop moving, it reached out to her with piercing claws and a chilled cage that gripped her heart from moving, it was enclosing and suffocating._

" _I can't breathe-_

"Tsuna, you're awake!"

She sprang forwards, arms wrapping around her body and taking a big gulp of air that got stuck on her chest as soon as it filled her lungs as if to keep it there in fear that there wasn't enough. Her mind was slow to process reality as the remnants of the dream started to fade.

"Dame-Tsuna"

She exhaled shakingly, as the familiar voice of the hitman finally woke her up. The realization of what she just experienced was alarmingly fading as her senses returned to her. The dream felt nothing else but that, images and feelings suddenly created in her mind, fragile and disintegrating the moment she opened her eyes. One moment there, the next, gone.

Yet an echo was still lingering, her heart was hammering and the skin in her arms was filled with goosebumps to the point of her nerves hurting. Once her mind had cleared and her body relaxed, she weakly moved her hands over her arms to warm them back.

Reborn for his part watched her wake from whatever was holding her and detach from the shadows it left. It wasn't the first time she had nightmares; or whatever it was that she saw, that he had to forcefully wake her up. Some nights she woke by herself, took a breath then went back to sleep. Others were not so peaceful and she remained awake till morning doing nothing but drawing or watching videos on her phone now that she got it back.

It was still disturbing, no teenager should wake up gasping for air as if someone was choking them in their sleep. This was, however, the most violent reaction that she has gotten over the past months, but so long as she didn't wake up screaming or crying, then he could deal with that. He really wishes for it to remain that way.

"You're awake, do you know where you are?" He asked quietly, not moving from his spot on the hammock by the wall in case it frightened her and escalated into a panic attack or something similar. When the brunette didn't respond, however, he was really tempted to throw her a pillow despite his previous reasoning. "Tsuna"

"Home… I- I'm awake" She stuttered weakly, words coming out sluggishly be it by fear of whatever she just dreamt or because her mind was pulling her back to sleep. Maybe both.

"What did you see?"

When the brunette was sleepy, he had come to find out that she was more willing to share her thoughts despite how unrelated they ended up being to his questions. Due to the past… should he call it, _bump_ in their tutor/student relationship, the girl has done spectacularly well at ignoring him, even while being drowsy.

It still made him want to throw a pillow at her, preferably one that hurt. Leon, his sometimes backstabber companion, crawled from his place over the top of his head to curl down on the pillow, as if reading his mind and preventing him from executing any harsh ideas so early in the day.

Tsuna exhaled tiredly and went back to curl into her bed, wrapping the bed covers around her body despite it being a summer night. The warm humid air from the window has been leaking into the room for the past nights, yet she was still adamant on not closing it to turn the AC on. It was still fresh, she said. His devious mind was plotting to blast the cooler just to get a reaction from her, but his benevolent soul held back for the sole reason that despite being surrounded by warmth, the brunette still shivered.

So in the quietness of the room, it was no surprise to hear the whisper from the girl.

"I'm cold"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Classes were starting tomorrow.

It was a new year, one that promised new knowledge and experiences in a new stage of her life. Who would even think that in two more years Tsuna will be in high-school. It was something so normalish and far away from the present that it sometimes made her wonder if she would even survive till graduation.

After the incident at Mafia Land, the rest of her summer vacation had gone surprisingly well. With no more crazy fights and Reborn's training becoming less intense and more practical, it was a well-rested break for her body.

The hitman didn't care that Mukuro had managed to create a small link between them, he actually commemorated her from managing to bound the elusive boy to her, whatever that meant. But he made sure to train her mind to prevent the illusionist from controlling her thoughts. It was useless, she wanted to say. She was 100% sure that Mukuro wouldn't do that, but if pretending to meditate saved her from a hellish training, then she was going to play along with the hitman's whims.

Of course, with Reborn being Reborn, meditating had evolved into something more extreme than what should be expected. Every morning, they would climb their way to the mountain - it was mostly Tsuna climbing with Reborn sitting on her shoulder most of the time- where she would proceed to sit in different settings, be it at the river bank or a forest clearing.

Then, she would try to clear her mind while trying not to flinch at the unexpected attacks the hitman would throw her way. Cold water, pinecones and even on one occasion a shower of itching feathers fell on her. The hitman's instructions were clear, all she had to do was detach from her thoughts while building a mental wall so that nothing could go through at the same time.

It was impossible from the start. The whispers never left her alone, always singing soundless secrets in her ear while moving her body to prevent any hard hit. And she fought so hard against that, she wanted to move on her own terms and think whatever she wanted without any forceful help.

Some days she tried to make peace with her intuition while others she fought hard to be the one in command. But most of the time, those occasions left her reeling with migraines so she let her intuition do whatever it wanted. Didn't mean she was happy about it, though. So grouchily, all she did was imagine a tall vine with white flowers while trying to dodge whatever came her way.

"You're not good at this" The hitman shook his head, apparently disappointed at something. Tsuna didn't know what he was actually trying to achieve with this or what he wanted her to do, but whatever it was it seemed not to be working.

"Maybe we should call Fon"

"No"

She pursed her lips to prevent a giggle from escaping at the quick denial. When they met, Fon had offered his help on mediating if she needed it. But now that the hitman was aware of her knowledge of the Arcobaleno, he was more intense on his strict avoidance with any of them. And it seemed to be working, for she wasn't able to contact any of them, not even Verde.

Lal and Colonnello had cut any possible communication the moment she touched Japanese grounds, it was as if they disappeared from the radar. She wanted to blame Reborn for that, but she couldn't help but feel dread at their lack of an answer. Colonnello had promised he would check up on her weekly, yet despite waiting for his message, it never came. Even Lal, after the bomb she dropped on her, she expected at least something, but there was nothing.

Skull was a similar yet slightly different story. He had managed to sneak inside the cruise and spend the afternoon telling her and the kids of his adventures, but as soon as Reborn caught sight of him, he was thrown overboard, never to be seen again. He survived, of course. Of that she was sure but with no number or email address, there was no way to contact him, if only to pester the hitman.

As for Verde and Fon, they seemed to be on top of the hitman's blacklist. Their info contact had mysteriously disappeared from her phone and any mention of their name is quickly dismissed. Though Fon sometimes sends her imported tea via Ipin with little notes that she keeps inside her pencil case, she has no direct way to contact him for meditating tips, unless she asks the little girl to do so in secret.

And lastly, Verde. The mad scientist has officially ghost her. It seemed like Reborn also messed with her delivery address because she hasn't received any more packages from her benefactor. So no matter how urgent it was to get back to him, for now, she will have to pull it through on her own.

And speaking of ghosts; and the main reason why meditation was introduced to her training regime, Mukuro. She has only talked with him on two more occasions, before and after she started this mind training. And contrary to popular belief, all they have done in their encounters was sit by the lake in her mindscape and talk about trivial things. They even discussed the difference between Italian and Japanese confectionary.

It sadden her to know that the boy hasn't tried many of them due to his past, and now his recent imprisonment left her feeling resentful at the Mafia even more than before. She felt so powerless at the situation, and due to the animosity of the topic that started this _bump_ between them, she couldn't ask the hitman to help free Mukuro.

It was something she was planning to do, to free him, his friends and clear Lancias' name. Lancia was another ghost she was dealing with these days too. Reborn said he would talk with Nono to at least help with that, but there has been no response and she didn't want to raise the topic, at least not yet. She's been preparing some documents with Dino's help as a testimony, if her name had any value in this mess, then at least she could use it to her advantage.

Though she was adamant on not revealing it in Mafia land, she was willing to use it against Vongola. After all, she deserved that and more after months of radio silence from their part. Dino had warned her not to play with fire, but she wasn't going to wait like a doll for their next 'mission' and expect her to answer with good heart and goodwill without asking anything back.

Reborn found that the hard way, but now that she had revealed her nature, she wasn't going to hold back in getting what she wanted.

"Tsu-chan! It's almost 1 o'clock!"

Her mother's voice snapped her from her musings. As it was Sunday and school was starting the next day, the gang she had started to associate as ‘friends’ were planning to enjoy their last day of summer vacation just playing and hanging around town.

Standing up from the chair at her desk, she stretched her arms up until her joints popped. She already packed her school bag in case she returns late and tired to do so. It will also give her more time in the morning for breakfast, so she will try to enjoy her last free day.

She grabbed a small bag backpack and went downstairs, quickly noting the empty hallway as the kids were playing out in the backyard. Relishing in the quietness of the house, she went to the kitchen where her mother was starting to prepare some lunch.

"Tsu-chan, are you eating here?"

"No, I think Yamamoto will bring some sushi along. We can stop by his restaurant if not"

"Alright dear, just make sure to take your wallet this time, with money"

"Yes, mom" It was a common occurrence whenever she went out, she always forgets to bring her wallet containing her student-id and money. In her defence, it's not like she has ever needed them before, and her intuition hasn't alarmed her of needing them, so it always skipped her mind.

But just in case, she went back to her room and put her wallet inside the bag. And her head buzzed, pleased at the action as her phone rang with a message notification. She had to sigh heavily at that.

They had created a group chat, -many group chats- that she has turned on silent for a year due to its constant unrelated memes and messages. She would skim them from time to time to catch up and contribute here and there, but if they really needed something from her, they would message her privately. Just like Kyoko has done.

Apparently, aside from Yamamoto bringing sushi for lunch, Haru wanted to bring some snacks, and she had roped Kyoko and her into her plan. The orange-haired girl was tasked to bring cookies and chocolates, Haru the chips and Tsuna was in charge of refreshments. Later they would split the bill of expenses, Kyoko said in the message. Tsuna agreed with her, sending her a thumb's up emoji before tucking her phone into her pocket.

It's best to leave now to head to the convenience store to buy some drinks before heading towards the meeting place.

As she walked downstairs again, she heard the rush of laughter and screams heading her away. She had to brace herself over the stair railing as Lambo collided with her legs.

"Baka-Tsuna is going out? Can Lambo-sama go? Ne, ne? Baka-Tsuna, take me with you!"

"Nope. It's a grown-ups reunion only" She kicked him gently, making him stick his tongue childishly.

"Boring!~"

"Then stay here and watch TV, okay?" She walked back to the kitchen to say goodbye to her mother. "I'm going now"

"Take care! Have fun, dear!" Her mother cheerfully replied. Truly, from everyone in the house, her mother was the most excited that she was having a social life.

"Fun! Tsuna-jiĕjie!"

She waved at the kids, not before warning Lambo not to enter her room, before leaning down to put on her sneakers. Once they were properly tied, she went to open the door.

"Leaving already?"

She came to halt as she shut the door, staring in shock at Bianchi, who was shamelessly laying on a deck chair and reading a magazine, sunbathing. In a swimsuit. A bikini.

"S-Should you, um... I don't think people are allowed to sunbathe in their front yards. Not while wearing a b-bikini, I mean"

She stuttered, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment at her lack of modesty. Bianchi only hummed and Tsuna could have stayed there staring if not for a sudden choking gasp that came from the gate. She turned to see a boy near her age, staring at them in shock. Tsuna could only look at his eyes behind his glasses widening in shock and his face turning crimson before he stuttered an apology and quickly turned to run away.

"You just scared a poor nerd"

"I believe I did him a favour" Bianchi turned the page of her magazine, not at all perturbed by the situation.

It sometimes surprised Tsuna how confident and shameless the hitwoman was. Doing whatever she wanted despite being against the law. She wasn't the best example to follow, but Tsuna did admire her indifference to what others think. It took her a while to grab enough nerves to go to school while wearing that boot, and even more to ignore the mocking from girls regarding her chin injury.

From above, a shadow suddenly descended, one that her body had come to associate with danger so she quickly stepped away from it. Looking up, it revealed Reborn wearing a boy-scout outfit with Leon as his parachute, descending swiftly from the sky and landed with no trouble next to Bianchi.

"Run along now, Dame-Tsuna. And be home by sundown"

"Yes, Reborn"

She didn't want to stay behind and be tangled in whatever scheme he was building. It was oddly suspicious he was even letting her go on her own, knowing him, he would have tagged along to add some spice and craziness to their afternoon. Not wanting to think about it too much, she quickly walked away.

They lived in a nice, peaceful neighbourhood, not enough kids or teenagers her age, so the ruckus happening around was mostly at her house. An old lady came once to complain about the fireworks noises happening one Saturday morning. They were actually grenades, but Tsuna's chicken heart had no way of coming up with a lie in front of the old woman. Thankfully, Nana calmly apologized with a cup of tea, mentioning the kids watching movies loudly and sent her off with some matcha bread.

Let it be said, that after Nana's cheerful scolding, everyone's behaviour regarding loud noises and explosions had diminished greatly. It was one of the main reasons why Reborn chose to do training outside, in case she screamed and woke half the neighbourhood.

As the sunny weather beamed down on her, she let the good climate cheer her up. Summers were known for their humidity and rains, but with the recent shivers she's been experiencing, she welcomed the warmth wholeheartedly.

The convenience store wasn't that far from her house, but they were meeting at the baseball courts some streets away from school so she was mentally preparing herself to carry bags full of drinks as personal training.

Apparently, while she was away from their group chat, Yamamoto won a bet to choose what to do on their last day of summer vacation and as the athletic boy that he is, he suggested that they get together to play some friendly baseball. He's been waiting to introduce the sport to them for weeks now, so it finally came the day to grant his wish. She still felt guilty, knowing that the boy wasn't going to enter the baseball team this year, but no matter how much she fought against that, Yamamoto had made his choice.

She hummed a greeting to the shop attendant as she entered the konbini. The girls were fond of sweet beverages while the boys would probably prefer something refreshing, so she grabbed a couple of soda cans, juice and water bottles, just in case.

She paid the cashier and lifted the brown paper bag into her arms to embark towards her destination. Only a few steps forward and she berated herself for not putting on her earphones before taking the bag to listen to some music while on her way. But then again, she could always hum to herself or sing out loud, after all, people have seen her running around in underwear, how crazier could she look after that?

And just as she shrugged her embarrassment and tried to channel some of Bianchis 'I don't care' attitude, a soft sound echoed on the street. It was weak and had a pitiful ringing to it that made her stop her walk. She turned back to see what was calling and it took her a few moments to land her eyes on a black shape near the flower pots she was crossing. Another sound cried, and this time she could identify what it was, a meow.

There was no time to ponder whether she should ignore it or not. As soon as her eyes landed on the small feline, she started walking very carefully towards its hiding place. As gently as she could, she lowered the bag to the floor and hugged her knees to see the kitten better.

It was a small one-eyed cat, hunching down on itself as he stared up at her. His ears flickered as she approached and only hissed a warning when she knelt down but made no move to claw her or dash away.

She felt sorry for the little one, his fur was a bit dirty and his injured eye remained shut. And by the look on his body, it obviously hadn't eaten in a while.

"Hello" She called softy and raised her hand slowly so that the cat could sniff her fingers in precaution. He flinched a little, but his curious eye remained locked with hers. Slowly, the cat came out from its hidden place and approached her hand cautiously. She waited patiently until soft fur touched her fingers, and she bit back a giggle at the sensation.

The cat started playing with her hand, rubbing on her fingers and nosing her palm impatiently. It was the signal that she was accepted to touch him. So being allowed to giggle aloud this time, she rubbed his head gently and smiled at hearing soft purrs coming from the cat.

Someone who doesn't get weak over kittens and puppies isn't human, she concluded. Without thinking much, she knew she could spare some money for a can of fish for her new feline friend.

"Are you hungry, little guy?" She asked, fingers still rubbing soft pointy ears and being massaged by purring vibrations. "Wait here"

The cat cried when she made a move to stand up, panicked by her sudden departure so she quickly calmed him with some pats and gentle reassurances.

"Hey, shh. I'd be back, just wait here"

He was obviously anxious but somehow seemed to understand her reassurance as he sat back and stared at her expectantly.

"Stay" She pointed firmly before walking back towards the store to buy some food.

**.**

One minute later and the cat was still waiting where she left him, his tiny ears perking up when he saw her walking back towards him. She smiled and knelt down again as she opened a can of tuna.

"Here you go"

He quickly dug in, hungry. And she felt sympathy for the little one all over again, but she couldn't just leave him.

She knew what they said about strays, once you fed them, they won't leave you. She didn't know if her mother would accept a pet or how the kids would react, it was probably a bad idea but she couldn't help it, the little thing was small and weak, the kind that tugged hard at your heart.

There weren't many strays in Namimori thanks to Nami-chu's patrol finding them proper homes. It was no secret that Kyoya had a soft spot for little animals, so seeing one in need really prompted her to act.

Yet somehow, as she scratched his ears gently while he finished the tuna can, she was reassured that it wasn't going to be needed. Sometimes, strays just needed a place to return once in a while as they enjoyed their freedom and adventure. It was more like the stays adopting you, and it seemed she passed his test.

When the cat finished eating, licking his whiskers and looking up at her with content, her intuition hummed in acceptance. It was a sensation she was getting used to in the late hours of the night when ghosts visited her in her dreams. She didn't expect to feel it in plain daylight, but it was a welcoming surprise, one she embraced with a dumbfounded laugh when the cat purred as it rubbed its head on her legs.

"I gotta go now, you're welcome to tag along" She picked the empty can of fish and threw it on the trashcan that was luckily outside the convenience store. She leaned down to pick her refreshment bag and expected her new companion to walk alongside her, but the cat clearly had other ideas.

"No, hey- I can't carry you too" She tensed as tiny claws gripped her legs and arms as the feline made his way towards her shoulder. It was lucky that she didn't buy any glass bottles; otherwise, they would have been broken by her startling move of dropping the bag to the floor.

"You're sure having fun, aren't you?" She muttered as she picked the bag once again and adjusted to the new weight. The cat whiskers brushed against her cheek and he meowed as he made himself comfortable on his new seat.

"And now I'm talking with a cat" She muttered, shaking her head and stumbling a little as she started to walk with the cat on her shoulder. It was a different weight than Reborn's, and she was scared he could fall so it was a bit difficult to walk while carrying a bag full of drinks. 

Thankfully, life took little pity on her.

"Tsunayuuki?"

Or not?

She paused at that voice, barely recognizing it for the little interactions she had with it recently, and turned around to see the boy who called her walking with slow confident strides towards her.

"Moichida-senpai" She greeted politely.

The other boy had mellowed his cocky attitude shortly before the school year ended. He was more focused on his kendo club and didn't antagonize anyone who crossed his path. He still flirted, sure, but it wasn't forceful or ill-intended as it was some time ago. He was more approachable, but he carried a certain weight on his shoulders.

Looking at him, it reminded her that she and her friends weren't the only ones who suffered from an attack and returned to school one day with injuries. Moichida waved it off with excuses of a Kendo tournament, but Tsuna still remembered how panicked he was at the hospital.

They haven't talked since then.

"Do you need any help?" He slowed to a stop in front of her and pointed towards her tight grip on the grocery bag she was trying to balance in her arms.

"Yeah"

He moved his hands to take the heavy bag, but no sooner did he approached, the cat curled in her shoulder hissed threateningly, and if it weren't for his kendo's skills that made him dodge and Tsuna's reflexes in moving back, he would've been sporting bloody claw marks.

"Hey, it's okay, shh" Tsuna tried to rub the cat's face with her cheek to calm him down and distract him when Moichida tried to pry the falling bag from her arms. Once the weight was lifted, she brought the cat down from her shoulder and hugged him to her chest while rubbing his ears "Sorry about him, he's a bit… wild"

"That's a stray, right?" The boy said, looking at the cat warily "You know what they say, once you show them affection, they won't leave you"

"I couldn't leave him, he looked hungry"

"You're so selfless, Tsunayuuki"

"If only you knew" She muttered and moved her head away when the cat tried to paw her face.

"Did you already name it?"

"Him. And I think I will call him Puru"

"Puru?" Moichida tried to soften his scoff "Girls and their name making"

"Your injuries healed well" She noted, changing the subject to the one she was thinking before the cat attacked. Oh, the irony.

"Yeah, well... They weren't that bad, not like yours" While he didn't approach her directly at school, Tsuna did notice him watching. Well, everyone did, but while Yamamoto placated half of their class to stop pestering the brunette, the kendo captain took care of the rest. Nasty girls included.

It made her feel more guilty, knowing that many people got hurt when she couldn't do anything.

"Sorry they went after you"

"Why did those bastards even wanted with you?" He tried to shrug her apology, and she knew he didn't blame her for the attack. But after their meeting at the hospital and the curious glances at school, she was aware of how that question and the answer was eating him. Unfortunately, she couldn't drag him any more into the mess.

"Just, there was some miscommunication… Everything's fine though"

"Whatever" He obviously wanted more answers but Tsuna couldn't relent to that. It was a good thing he didn't press her further, and instead, shifted the grocery bag in his arms. "Where do you need this to go?"

"The baseball courts" She said as she started walking "We're hanging around, want to play some?"

It's not that she wanted his company, no matter how rude it sounded. But it was the polite thing to say when he was helping her carry a heavy bag after he was attacked by her name a few months ago for no reason.

"Who's in it?" He asked at her side.

"Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto. The girls. Probably Ryohei-senpai too"

"Oh, it's on" He smirked, a flick of competitiveness flaring on his voice. Her friends won't like the new presence but it was rude to say no, beside her intuition hasn't once pulsed in danger or warning, so it was safe.

They walked for a few minutes while chattering about their summer vacations. It was the cordial thing to do, Tsuna kept reminding herself. It's not that she didn't want to spend time with the other boy or tell him about her trip on a cruise or hear about his kendo training, but it was the best she could do to ease her guilt. Besides, he hasn't once flirted or antagonized her, so it was a plus.

As they neared the courts, she was able to see her friends already waiting, well Kyoko and her brother weren't there yet, but she could see Haru arguing with Gokudera while Yamamoto laughed and Hana was exasperated by them all. The only reason why the Italian boy didn't walk with her was that Tsuna begged him not to with the excuse that Bianchi would be waiting for him at their front door, and then he would faint and then wouldn't be able to play or enjoy their afternoon. And she was right after all.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera exclaimed once he saw her enter the courts, he was quick to walk to her, but then his march turned frantic once he recognized the person next to her "What is that bastard doing here!?"

"Kicking your ass!" Of course, that response wasn't going to help the cause.

"Maa, Maa~ the more the merrier!"

"What a good monkey, carrying your bag all the way here" Hana was giving him the stinky eye, not that Tsuna could blame her. Moichida did his best to ignore her sarcasm and Gokudera's yells as he placed the bag over one of the benches. Haru, who had been silently staring at the newcomer, perked up when two more people walked into the courts.

"Ah, Kyoko-chan is here too!"

"EXTREME! Moichida! That's so sportsmanlike! Welcome!" Ryohei immediately ran towards the Kendo fighter, clapping him on the back to share his good spirit.

"Stop screaming"

"What is Moichida-senpai doing here?" Kyoko said as she approached the other girls.

"He helped me carry the bag of drinks" Tsuna replied.

"Hahi?! Tsuna-san, is that a cat?" Haru suddenly pointed, becoming aware of a fluffy tail swinging lazily on her arms.

"Oh, yeah" She brought a hand up to scratch the putting cat "I was adopted"

"He's so cute!"

"What's his name?"

"Puru"

"Puru?"

"It rhymes with pinapuru" She shrugged with a smile, and while the girls cooed and giggled at the ridiculous comparison, a bubble of laughter escaped her lips as she felt the cat stiffening in her arms. With a grouchy meow, he squirmed free out of her grasp and landed swiftly on the ground, where he proceeded to stretch a little before wandering around to look for a place to nap. Haru wanted to follow him, but the argument behind them got louder.

"Oi, are we doing this, or not?"

"It's not like we invited you, you bastard" Gokudera was close to lighting up a stick of dynamite and Tsuna could really admire his efforts of holding back.

"Scared you will lose?" Of course, Moichida was not helping.

"Maa, Maa~ what's a little healthy competition? It will be like the school's sports festival"

"It's not like we common people participate in those, stupid monkey" Hana crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow and giving a pointed stare at the three athletes.

"Hana-chan, don't be rude"

"Didn't you join the tracking team last year?" Tsuna suddenly asked. She herself has never participated in the Sports Festival due to her bad luck. No team would want her joining in risk of losing, and she didn't want to make a fool out of herself, so it was mostly her hiding in the committee room while Kyoya was out patrolling or cheering with Kyoko.

"Nothing you can prove" Hana growled, making both Tsuna and the orange-haired girl giggle in amusement. She could clearly remember how the girl had somehow run the 1600-meter run and won for their class last year, but any time someone mentioned it, it was forcefully denied. It still remains a mystery as to why the sudden initiative and the unexpected win, but it has become teasing material for Kyoko and Tsuna.

"Let's make teams! I want to be on Tsuna-san's team!" Haru chirped, hugging her arm.

"No way! You will make her lose!"

"Let's do this by luck, come on guys, just grab a paper"

In a few minutes of arguing and organizing, they had drawn some papers and formed their respective teams with some calls of cheating and laughter.

Team 1 being Yamamoto, Haru, Kyoko, Ryohei while Team 2 consisted of Tsuna, Gokudera, Moichida, Hana. Tsuna grabbed the paper as soon as she could without thinking much, so her hyper intuition had nothing to do with it, or at least, she wanted to pretend it was like that.

Once the teams were made, Yamamoto took a step to explain the basic rules and moves, but by the time they eventually got to play, the rules had been forgotten and they had run and screamed and played as they wanted. If someone cheated, it was nothing that could be proven, which caused a lot of mocking arguments and teasing competitiveness.

Anyone watching from outside could only see a youthful outgoing, it was carefree and enjoyable, there were no real worries as they played around for hours until the sun started to set. Without much fanfare, they ended the game to have something to eat with Tsuna's team taking the victory.

Between Gokudera's hot energy on not losing to Yamamoto and Mochida's own competitiveness against the others, all she and Hana had to do was run as fast as they could to the bases without getting hit, which came as easy as pie for them.

With sugary drinks, cookies and salty chips, their energy remained high as they let the warm afternoon sun comfort them. The mood that this was their last day of summer vacation and probably their last normal day seemed to be forgotten by the mindless chatter and laughter.

Yamamoto took the loss really well, and even though Gokudera gloated around, there were no hard feelings. It was Ryohei who was the sore loser, but one good stern lecture from Hana and a pity one from Kyoko shut him up.

All in all, it was a good day for everyone, Tsuna didn't regret coming. As she took one sip from her juice, she startled a little to feel soft fur climbing into her lap. The cat had remained curled under a bench while they played, and how arrogant, she thought, that he was still demanding her attention.

She let him do as he pleased and rubbed his little ears gently, she had to keep him entertained as Moichida walked over towards her. She was hoarding two bags of cookies and one of sour cream & onion chips, so seeing as she was now distracted by the feline, he took the opportunity to grab the bag of chips.

"You know… I had fun today" He said, watching with disinterest a new fight brew between Ryohei and Gokudera, with Yamamoto and Haru being the ones to try to calm them down.

"Yeah, it was fun"

Something had shifted, yes. But Tsuna knew things weren't going to change drastically. This meeting and hangout didn't make them instant friends, but at least Tsuna could expect some more peace from the boy at school. Perhaps the sudden attack and trip to the hospital made him consider things in a different perspective, because despite being surrounded by her friends, the girls included, he hasn't been nasty or a jerk.

"You are not as bad as I thought" She said out loud, gaining a surprised look from the boy who was about to bite one chip before his lips curled into one smug smirk.

"Oh~ so you think of me"

"Not that way!" She pushed him away, blush blooming on her face at the innuendo. She takes back everything good she had said about the boy.

"Oi, Oi! What are you doing to Juudaime, you bastard!" Gokudera yelled, and Moichida had the gall to look innocent as he finished her bag of chips. Hana was still giving him the stinky eye, no doubt having heard them talk, even the cat was grouchily meowing at her.

With a huff, she went back to her ministrations of pleasing the cat, who rewarded her with a purr and nuzzle in her leg.

"How you treated girls... I don't like that'' She concluded in a low voice, not wanting to draw more attention. She felt Moichida halt for a moment before he crunched into a ball the now the empty bag of chips.

"Yeah, well…" There were no excuses, and they both knew it. This sudden outgoing didn't make them friends, nor was it something that was probably going to happen again. But it was good while it lasted, and there were no hard feelings brewing for the new semester.

"It's a new year and all. See you later, I guess" The boy excused himself, standing up and dusting his pants for any crumbs.

"Oh, senpai are you leaving?" Yamamoto asked.

"I've had enough of you losers"

"Great game, Moichida!"

"You're too loud"

He waved at the girls, to which Kyoko, pure innocent Kyoko, replied with a charming smile and a wave on her own. Haru, not knowing the bad blood the boy had caused, simply returned his goodbye greeting cheerfully while Hana frowned at him, still giving him a stinky eye. He returned the feeling by ignoring her just like he did with Gokudera's rude remarks. Before leaving though, he turned towards Tsuna one last time.

"Let's hang out again, Tsunayuuki"

"Sure"

It was the polite thing to say, Tsuna told herself. Watching the boy give her a final smirk before walking away, she shook her head and turned back towards her friends, who were watching her with different expressions running from amusement to horror.

"That was smooth" Hana deadpanned, making Tsuna turn to face her with confusion.

"Huh?"

"He asked you out"

"What?"

"He invited you on a date"

"And you said yes" Haru clapped.

"How nice, Tsuna-chan" Kyoko chirped merrily, much to the brunette's horror.

"W-Wait, what!? No!" She loudly denied it "It wasn't like that! Kyoko, stop smiling! Haru, No!"

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna has always dreaded the first day of school.

What with her history of killing the class mascot, tripping over nothing while introducing herself and having the worst teacher for homeroom to name a few. When asking about it in her head, all she could feel was her intuition patting her in the back, as a mocking gesture for the upcoming trails waiting for her.

Was it too late to pretend to be sick?

"Dame-Tsuna, get moving"

Curse you, Reborn. She groaned in distress as she finished fixing her hair. There was no training that morning, probably his only white flag in the semester. He was plotting something big, she could feel it. But whatever it was, she feared asking because she knew that she was probably going to end in tears.

"Tsu-chan, breakfast!"

Nodding to herself in the mirror for a quick mental pep talk, she went down to the kitchen where the kids were already eating cereal and butter toast. She didn't understand why they got up so early when she was the one going to school, even Bianchi was still sleeping in.

"Are you excited, Tsu-chan? You're in second year now!" Her mother said as she served her a plate of toast and placed her bento next to her.

"Not really" She thanked her mother for the food and started to dig before it was time to leave for school.

"I think this will be a good year, dear. Just wait and see" Her mother was always so positive, it pushed Tsuna to keep trying and do better if only to not disappoint her.

"Baka-Tsuna, is going away~ Baka-Tsuna's treasure is mine~" Lambo sang childishly as if she wasn't returning.

"I'm coming back, you know. It's just school"

"I will keep an eye on him" Fuuta promised.

"Ipin, too!"

"Do you want me to do a ranking for your first day?"

"It's alright, I got a feeling on what to expect" Just as she finished the last bite of her toast, the doorbell rang "And that's my cue"

"Take care, dear. And eat your lunch, have fun today" Nana hovered over her a little, fixing her hair and clothes before beaming at her, and Tsuna returned it sincerely.

"Bye, see you guys later"

When she opened the door, Gokudera greeted her. She was once again assaulted with the thought that this boy was waking up way early if he wanted to reach her house in time to walk to school before the bell rang. But no matter how many times she told him it wasn't necessary to walk with her, the boy still showed up, very punctual might she add.

"Good morning, Juudaime!"

"Morning" She closed the door gently, and just as she turned to walk towards the gates, another boy who had taken the habit of walking with them joined. Tsuna had to wonder if they coordinated or if it was luck that they arrived at the same time.

"Yo! Morning guys"

"Hello" She greeted the ex-baseball player and tugged slightly at Gokudera to walk when the boy was about to yell a rude greeting.

"Why are you even here?" Gokudera crossed his arms.

"Going to school! Are you guys excited? We didn't talk about it yesterday, it was such a down mood for our last day of summer vacation, but we are starting a new year. I wonder which class we'd be in, do you think we'd have a surprise exam? What about the field trip? I can't wait!"

"You sure are energetic" She stared, not even a good bedtime rest with no morning training could make her that happy in the morning.

"I guess I am" He laughed.

Gokudera was close to exploding, she could see that. But before he could snap or before she could stop him, a sudden gust of wind made her stop to wrap her arms around her shoulders without realizing it. She wasn't even aware that she had closed her eyes until a voice filtered through the darkness.

"Tsuna?"

"Are you cold, Juudaime?" They looked worried at the sudden reaction, and she was confused about it too because she felt fine. Her intuition might have just shut her eyes and protected her from dust getting in them, maybe...

"No, just a sudden breeze" She dismissed it with a smile, and ushered them to keep walking, otherwise they will be late and Hibari Kyoya will have no mercy.

At the gates, the Disciplinary Committee was monitoring the students entering for any law break. She could see Kusakabe's twitching eyebrow when it landed on the two boys beside her and their disarrayed uniforms. With Gokudera's open white shirt to reveal a red t-shirt underneath, black wristbands, spiked belt and rings and Yamamoto's untucked one were enough to call for outrage. But Tsuna quickly waved at him with a smile as she quickly pushed the two boys to hurry.

Finding their classroom was easy, all Tsuna had to do was follow the pull of where she was meant to be. The guys trust her blindly as if they were the ones to know where to go, they didn't question her lead or if they were even in the same class. To the joy of everyone, they were.

"We're together again, Tsuna-chan!" Kyoko greeted her as soon as she walked through the door.

"Joy, the monkeys are here too" Hana sighed in displeasure at seeing the unruly uniforms of the guys.

Finding their seats wasn't hard either, the names were written on the board and thankfully, Tsuna's seat remained next to the window. Kyoko was next to her while Gokudera in front, Yamamoto was a few seats behind and Hana had the misfortune - or privilege depending on how you looked at it - of being on the front row.

"Who do you think will be our homeroom teacher?"

"Hopefully, not Nezu" She prayed.

Tsuna didn't think her intuition could giggle, but that's the sound she heard as she tried not to think further into what was already a dooming situation. As the class was already full, the doors opened to reveal their expected homeroom teacher, she didn't need to look up as horror struck her face.

"Hello, class. I'm your supply teacher, the smart and handsome, Mr Riboyama"

The girls swooned and some boys clapped, and the little teacher basked in the attention he was given, completely ignoring the loud thud across the room as the brunette let her head fall and hit the desk hard.

"J-JUUDAIME!"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Come on, Tsuna. It's not that bad, Mr Reborn must be really worried for you to get a job here"

"You don't understand. It's like a nightmare come true, school was supposed to get me away from him" She lamented herself.

With Reborn as their teacher, this was turning more like Assassination Classroom 101. And to add to her misery, word was spreading saying that Nezu was going to give them a surprise math exam, and she hadn't studied a number in her vacation, too busy learning about mafia laws and how to survive with a hitman as a roommate.

After their introduction with the devil and the regular school opening ceremony, the classes were divided to have their medical and Phys Ed examinations. For once in her life, Tsuna was positive she wouldn't fail that test, there was still the possibility that she could trip and fall and break something, but at least she wouldn't fail. She was sure.

Right now, their class was meant to go first for a check-up and Gokudera was first to go in, so it was Yamamoto who had to cheer her up as they sat on the floor next to the nurse office waiting for their turn. His positive attitude, however, was making his words really unbelievable, but at least his calming presence was soothing her nerves.

"Stupid Shamal" Gokudera then came mumbling angrily and removing a cartoony band-aid from his arm. So it seemed the mafia had infiltrated the school, wonder how Kyoya was going to react to that once he finds out, she thought as she stood up. "Juudaime, please, let me go with you"

"It's alright. He won't do anything, don't worry. And if he does, I'll punch him" She reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. Her response made Yamamoto laugh, at which the Italian boy simply kicked him and stood guard on the door as she went in.

Inside, Shamal was busy flipping through some folders. He ignored her as she made her way and sat on the chair next to the desk, waiting patiently for him to start whatever examination was required. When he finally turned to her, it was to sit one meter away from her.

"You know, I don't bite" She said with amusement.

"But others will. I'm under threat here"

"Really? Good"

"You enjoy watching people suffer, don't you?" He shook his head and grumbled, grabbing some tools to start the examination.

"Just a few"

She watched with attentive eyes as he moved around her doing his job as the school nurse, never once missing his tense posture or the way he was barely touching her. Reborn must have scared him good, for him to act like that. It was kinda amusing, how he refrained from commenting on anything else and just murmuring medical reports such as "You're gaining muscle mass again, that's good" and "Your pulse is fine too".

The examination ended soon after, and the most she had to do was walk and hop into the weigh scale. Shamal was quick in writing his report in her medical archives, and he kept asking a few protocol questions until they started to drift into mafia territory. She told him about Reborn's new training regime and her eating habits. Yet he didn't seem satisfied with her short answers, because the more disinterested he asked, the more she was aware that he was fishing for something.

"So, anything you want to collaborate on your medical record?"

"No"

"Any new allergies? body reactions?"

"Not really"

"You know I'm your assigned doctor, right? You can come to me with any mafia-related symptoms"

That rang warning bells in her head, and she could feel something cold and heavy setting on her shoulders.

"Why? Should I be worried about something?"

"No, just the normal procedure"

It wasn't. She knew there was something more, something that kept her wondering in the sleepless nights and made her restless after training. It was something scary and dangerous, and the thought that someone else had the answers was alarming. Because **_you know the question. Ask the question; you know, he knows._ **Her intuition screeched in her ear, pushing against her head and digging its nails into her flesh as her lips part without her own accord.

"Will something happen to me if I keep using the Sky flames?"

"I'm not sure, kid. I have no experience with teenagers turning on fire and running around"

**_He's lying. He's lying. He's lying. Something's wrong, He's lying._ **

"Oh" She nodded dryly, trying to maintain her face from collapsing "O-Okay, can I go?"

"Yeah, send in the next one"

Shamal sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose as if he was either relieved or stressed by something. She was by no means stupid, Shamal knew something and whatever it was made Reborn be wary enough to pull Giannini to make some test on his own. And yet, they were keeping the information from her.

She walked past him without saying another word, and in her mind, she decided to dig the information herself. Because if they were going to lie to her she might as well do the same.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The sport examination went by with ease. She almost cried and basked the jealous and incredulous whispers as she ran 20 laps around the gym without tripping or sweating. Reborn's training was showing its fruits, even both Hana and Kyoko marvelled at her now toned legs when they changed into their uniforms.

That grabbed the attention of some of the boys, but with the overprotectiveness of Gokudera and the calm-yet-serious Yamamoto, no one dared approach her.

Of course, something had to go wrong to balance the goodness of the day. And that came in the form of a math test. An open-answer math test.

There were no options for her intuition to choose and guide her hand; she had to rely on her brain, a paper and a calculator. By Nezu's ugly sneer, he made the test with difficult questions on purpose. It's been 10 minutes, and Tsuna was still staring blankly at the paper, reading for the third time the questions and equations. She couldn't use her intuition unless she thought of a possible answer and balance the odds, but still, there were a lot of numbers for her to try and not a lot of time.

And yet…

As she tried to solve the first one, she felt good in luck. Unexpectedly realizing that it was easy and that she knew how to solve it. Then came the next one, and the next after that and suddenly she finished solving the exam by the time the bell rang, and her intuition hummed in approval at her answers she had made, knowing they were right by her own hand. And by Nezu's angry face as he graded it, she knew she had aced it.

She was almost skipping on her way home, feeling thrilled about her own achievement. Of course, Nezu called her a cheater and tried to force her to take the test again, but with Gokudera's yells and threats and one member of the Disciplinary Committee that came to see what the commotion was about to quiet it down, he begrudgingly let her go.

They only have to read and prepare for the next day for homework, so it meant having a free afternoon. Probably the only one they will have for a while. Yamamoto's father wanted to celebrate with his son, so it was only Gokudera who walked her home and stayed for dinner.

Her mother was ecstatic by her math test, she put it on the fridge door, next to some of the childish drawings the kids had done. They had katsudon for dinner and enjoyed some dango as dessert. It was the first time for Lambo and Fuuta to eat it, so it was really funny watching them chew the sticky dumpling for 5 minutes.

It was an eventful day until night fell and she and Reborn were finally alone in her room.

"Why were you at school?!"

"Because I missed you"

"That's a lie!"

She crossed her arms and glared at the hitman. He was busy reading some papers and trying to contact someone by phone, he's been trying for some days now to no avail. Seemed she wasn't the only one getting ignored.

"I needed a part-time job"

"I thought I was your job" she said with a pout, feeling a little hurt by his dismissal. It wasn't meant to mean anything bad, but after everything he has put her through, for him to say she wasn't worth the trouble - joke or not- still hurt.

"Thought you'd like the surprise"

"I didn't. Please take it back"

She bantered back, falling into their new normal. They had taken the routine of talking back and trying to outsmart the other. Most of the times Reborn had the last words, but on some rare occasions, she managed to surprise him into silence. Or he would just ignore her, just like now.

Seeing as he wouldn't respond again, she opted to busy herself with cleaning her bed from the books and papers she had been working on. Dino has been helping her prepare some documents for this project. She couldn't rest knowing that innocent people were suffering in her name, so each day she cooked up some courage to write and conjure a petition. It still needed a couple of law revisions, and maybe some grammar fixes, but the last step in her plan was for Reborn to get involved as a third party.

It wasn't a matter of pride now, it was more one of trust. Things between them had gone back to normal after coming back from Mafia Land. They would argue, he would train her via Spartan methods, she would cry and complain and then he would make her meditate and relax. It was weird, but it was something.

There was a bridge between them now, one with Reborn holding secrets from her and Tsuna not letting go of hers. They weren't ready to meet in the middle, and maybe they'll never be. But she needed help in all forms of ways.

"Um..."

"What is it?"

Crap. She wasn't meant to do it now, anxiety gripped her in a shuddering embrace as she looked down at the papers in her hands. Nothing would come of it if she didn't take the first step, it was hard and scary but she needed to let go and take a leap.

"Here" She said quietly, handing the hitman the papers.

"What's this?" He was curious, both at her attitude and whatever she was working on. He knew it was something secretive, but he chose to give her the privacy to continue doing whatever it was. No alarms had been raised in her doing something illegal, so he let her be.

"Papers"

Papers, she said. They were more than that if she was close to having a panic attack. He grabbed the papers and skimmed the first paragraph. Whatever he was expecting didn't start by the first words reading _'Liberation and clearing name from the mafia syndicate-'_

"What is that brain of yours plotting, Dame-Tsuna?"

"I want Vongola to free Lancia from charges" she said without a stutter, though the way she leaned her shoulders forwards and lowered her head meant that it was taking her a lot of nerve, courage and effort.

"You-

"I think I deserve it, don't you? Grandpa Timothy must surely be impressed, how a girl with three months training managed to accomplish a suicide mission with all limbs attached and no deaths on my ground"

"I returned your phone, isn't that enough for you?" He raised an eyebrow, wondering what kind of cunning comeback she will make.

"Oh no, that's not what this is about. Here" She handed him another paper, this one being a single page with red marks all over it, forming a shaking circle over the top corner to solidify her grade. "100 in my first Math exam and I didn't even cheat"

"Hmm..." his lips curled into a smirk that was hidden thanks to the page covering his face. Of course he knew of her achievement, it was one of the reasons why he infiltrated the school, to make sure either a) she wasn't cheating via hyper intuition and in case that she was, increase the hardships for her to prove herself or b) to annoy and disturb her classes. That, among other things.

He was pleased to see the girl further develop her schemes in the underworld. It showed initiative as a good leader and the qualities of a boss in the making. It wasn't a matter of pride to help her or not, she had his full support with this little project of hers. If only he could get Nono to pick up the phone or answer his letters.

"What will you do once Lancia's name is cleared?"

"Nothing" she crossed her arms as she sat on her bed "He is free to choose what to do, just like we all should"

Stingy. She would always bite back bitter remarks whenever something alluded to their argument in the hospital. It's been weeks since that day, and her resentment over the situation had not been forgotten. It was simply something she couldn't let go of.

And neither could he.

"Carry that grudge with you, it will take you nowhere"

"But yours lead you to me"

He brought the paper down fast to look at her with alarm, but her faraway eyes were glued to the night sky beyond the open window.

She sometimes acted like this, staring at nothing as if listening to something only she could hear and disconnect from the world around her. It didn't seem dangerous, but it was alarming. Because whenever she got into that doll-like pensive state, it felt like she wasn't there at all.

"Tsuna" he called her loudly, and she blinked as if breaking free from a spell to turn and look at him with confusion.

"Sorry, what?"

He frowned slightly at her dazed expression.

Forget what he just said, it was dangerous for her to act and do things without being aware of it. It was disturbing and a little frightening to see her lose herself in something only she could see and feel. If this escalated or worse, happened during a dire situation…

Who would have wondered, that tutoring a teenage girl could be so troublesome?

**.**

**.**

**.**

It was Friday, they had survived a week of agonising workload and boring classes. It seemed that way because they just returned from summer vacations and fun-doing activities that clashed with the educational system.

And to make matters worse, Tsuna seemed to be developing a fever.

It started with small shivers and cold hands, and it soon spread into headaches and warm foreheads that made her feel sleepy and dizzy at the end of each day. Fortunately, it was the weekend, and any homework could be made on Sunday afternoon to have more time to rest. Yet dauntingly, she felt even more tired with that thought in mind.

She just finished her morning shower and was getting ready for school. It's a good thing she washed her hair last night because drying the hot water from it would be a hassle that could take half an hour on the good days. With Reborn's new 'job' as a substitute homeroom teacher while the vacancy was still open, he was stricter in getting to school on time. Which meant waking up earlier, getting ready and having breakfast in record time and walking to school with at least 20 minutes to spare.

Surprisingly, the boys had adapted to the new schedule with no trouble at all. She cursed them all.

"Are you sure you're alright, Tsu-chan? You were rather gloomy at dinner" Her mother told her over breakfast.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just tired" She said as reassuring as she could as she finished drinking a glass of milk with honey. It was her comfort drink, it was preferable to drink before going to sleep but the taste and effect it had soothed her nerves a little in that peculiar morning.

"Well it's the weekend, you should rest as much as you can, okay"

She nodded with a smile, not wanting to worry her mother any further. Her heart ached at that, and her intuition selfishly let her know that this was only the start of many worries to come. There was a noise from upstairs, alerting her that Reborn was making his way down and just as she was going to set the empty glass on the table, his voice made something inside of her snap.

"Dame-Tsuna, let's go" There was wariness in his voice, a growl threatening to escape that was masked by the urgency in his call. With dark treads swirling his tone, his presence made itself known and for a moment, she felt scared. And before she knew it, the glass in her hand had exploded to shards.

"Shi-

She bit her tongue, both at the pain and at stopping the curse before her mother heard her. But Nana quickly jumped to her with an "Oh my!", worryingly inspecting her hand and dragging her towards the sink to wash it gently with soap.

"Dear, are you okay?"

"Ha! Baka-Tsuna has butter fingers"

"Lambo, don't be mean"

"Tsuna-Jiějiě, hurt!"

"I'm fine! I'm fine! Really. I g-gotta go, I will see the nurse at school, I'm fine, Mom! See you later!"

She tugged her hand gently from her mother's grasp and made her way out of the house with a shaky smile and empty reassurances. Stepping on her shoes and closing the door, she made a quick escape as her heart thumped on her chest. She was barely aware that she had grabbed her bag on her dash, the movement so automatic as she was trying not to succumb into a panic attack.

"Reborn, what the hell?!" She screamed but he wasn't there anymore, the only thing remaining was the threat for her to get to school as soon as possible. The way he called her and the shadows that carried him as he passed by made her shudder because she recognized that feeling. She dreads it, because her intuition whispered and sang that _**someone was coming** _ for her life, again.

"Juudaime!"

She jumped in surprise and by instinct, threw a punch at whoever was behind her. Luckily, Gokudera managed to duck by bowing to her both as a greeting and apology for startling her.

"Woah, what happened?" It was Yamamoto who saw her wide eyes and stricken face, as well as her now irritated red hand.

"A glass exploded in my hand, nevermind. It's not bad" She murmured and tried to reassure them it was nothing as they both took a step forward in concern.

"Let's see Shamal, the idiot should at least be able to help" Gokudera said, not touching her but choosing to stand close to her side.

"It's not even bleeding, it's fine"

"But you could have some shards in your skin. Let me buy a bottle of water" The ex-baseball player said, ready to rush into the nearest convenience store but Tsuna held him back with her other hand.

"Don't worry, l-lets just go to school, yeah?" She asked, not really pleading, but the begging in her voice was enough for both boys to quietly comply. Yamamoto was the one doing the small talking, commenting on what he hoped to do for their first weekend now that they were back to school and some gossip circulating the school.

Despite not joining the baseball club this year and hanging out with her and Gokudera, Yamamoto still kept in touch with others in the class. It made her happy, knowing that he wasn't all that alienated from school because of her actions.

As soon as they walked to school, the boys escorted to the nurse office. Shamal was only just preparing a cup of coffee when a frowning Gokudera opened the door.

"It's too early, what happened?"

"Reborn" She said as if that answered all the questions in the universe.

Walking inside, she just showed him her hand, not wanting to reveal the fact that glass just exploded without reason.

"Did you burn yourself?" He said, gently grabbing her wrist to look at her palm better under the heavy glare of Gokudera and Yamamoto's concerned one.

"No"

"You have blisters. And your skin is slightly irritated" Shamal raised an eyebrow at her as if judging her words. She could feel a snarl morphing on her face, but she bit her lip to swallow it. Her emotions were going highwire and her intuition wouldn't shut up. It made her want to cry or hit someone, and if the hobo doctor kept giving her the judgy stare, he might as well be her victim.

"I'm gonna rub some soothing ointment and put a gauze to let it soak" He told her, moving swiftly to gather the materials and started applying the ointment in the affected area. It didn't hurt per se, but it was probably due to the numbness coiling on her fingers. Another worrisome thing that she decided to keep to herself until she gathered further information for herself first.

Shamal was surprisingly gentle in his work, he applied the ointment with a cotton swab and wrapped the gauze on her palm in a way that wouldn't get in her way to flex her fingers or grab something. It barely took 4 minutes, and by the time he finished, there was still time to make it to class. He did make her show her other hand in case it needed treatment, but other than rough skin, it was her left one that had suffered.

"You sure you're fine, kid?"

"I'm just tired. Reborn's mental training is distracting"

"Hmm" He hummed, as if not believing her. She couldn't care less if he believed her or not. "Well, off to class you three"

Shamal shooed them, closing the door behind them as they walked out of the office. The bell hadn't rung, and only a few students loitering the halls signalled that they were early, so there was no hurry in going to class.

"Juudaime, here" Gokudera stopped her as he offered his school jacket. She looked at it in confusion, and when she looked up at the eyes of the owner, she was confronted with greenish worried eyes. "You've been rubbing your arms all week. I don't want Juudaime to catch a cold"

"Thank you, but I'm okay" She still took the jacket with careful hands, and as soon as she put it on, she was surrounded by a protective and almost suffocating heat.

"You even sit under the air conditioner, sure you're okay?" Yamamoto asked.

"Yeah, just tired" She waved it off. Because that was it, whenever she questioned if she was getting sick with a cold, her intuition dismissed it. No, it wasn't a cold. It was something else that didn't have a name, not yet.

As they made their way to the classroom, she couldn't help but pray for classes to be over without any issue.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Please don't shoot me"

Everything escalated too quickly.

One moment they were learning about the Cold War in history class, then it was over and their last subject for the day was Math, and Nezu just completely lost it.

He took everyone outside, where a rolling whiteboard was standing in the middle of the field under the harsh summer sun. All they had to do was solve an equation and if correct, then you could go home early. He didn't mention it was a University level equation and he also removed the use of a calculator.

The first students to try went as expected, they couldn't solve the problem, everyone laughed and Nezu sneered. But then the teasing from part of the students died down when a girl burst into tears, the glaring sun and the taunting were affecting her mental health, she couldn't even grab the marker properly. Nezu taunted her, signalling her out and practically mocking her.

As one of her friends hugged her for support and dragged her away, everyone was starting to doubt and fear being ridiculed by their teacher out in the open. It was humiliating to the extreme, it was embarrassing and assured a full anxiety attack for those that hated being the centre of attention.

And then it was almost her turn. She had been resting under the shadow of a tree when a flower pot suddenly moved and revealed the Hitman with a flower on his fedora and pointing a gun at her.

"There's something I wish to see"

"No"

"Dame-Tsuna, I won't hurt you. It's the dying will bullet. It's less forceful than the hyper dying will one. There's a different"

"I'm not your lab rat, Reborn!" she glared down at him, her eyes almost stinging at the motion. He was planning something, but as always, he was acting without informing her of the truth.

"You're not. You just need to run around the school and come back before your turn. Easy"

"And this will help you, how?" she crossed her arms. Despite wanting to refuse, she knew it was inevitable to deny him. And if she had to choose between Nezu's torture and Reborn's, she knew which to pick.

"Just trust me, Dame-Tsuna" This morning incident still hasn't left her mind. Something big was happening and Reborn either wanted to know if she would survive or if she wasn't cut for it. Seeing the reluctance in her face, he offered her an olive branch "Leon will keep you company"

"Okay…"

Taking the opportunity that it was Yamamoto's turn and Gokudera somehow decided to step closer to observe, the hitman pointed his gun at her head and let her brace herself for the impact. Leon had jumped over her neck, and his scaly feet were the last thing she remembered as the bullet made contact.

Her mind was full of regrets, but she couldn't single one out. The dying will flame flared with life and a rush of warmth cascaded down on her. She opened her eyes slowly and blinked into awareness, orange glassy eyes staring without really seeing.

The hitman frowned at her unmoving -still clothed- state. She proved his hypothesis correct. As soon as her flames lit up, her body froze up, hyper will or not, they took over her form and bound her.

"Tsuna?"

"Do I need to run?" she asked with a flat voice.

"No, stay. I'm going to make a call"

He didn't move to grab his phone though, he couldn't leave her in this state. It was the dying will bullet, which meant it should only last 5 minutes active but if it didn't turn off, he will have to knock her out for safety precautions.

There were some exclamations as Nezu was now making fun of Yamamoto's bad grades as the ex-baseball player stood in front of the board with a confused expression. Him trying to solve the impossible problem while ignoring the taunts from their teacher was kind of endearing. His classmates thought so too because they started showing their support, action that caused Nezu to raise his voice.

Students from inside the school started peeking through the windows to see what the commotion was all about, it wouldn't be long before the disciplinary committee barges in.

Fortunately, the Sky flames were starting to wither as the 5 minutes span came to an end. Reborn was watchful for any reaction the brunette made, but other than a loud shudder there was no violent backlash. He didn't know if he counted that as progress or not.

"Juudaime" Gokudera made his way over to them with worried steps, and Reborn wondered if it was the Sky flames pulling him in or the boy's overprotectiveness "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, stay with your boss" As soon as Tsuna was able to breathe properly and had someone close in case she fell over, he jumped away towards the fence surrounding the school and brought out his phone to speed dial someone. He didn't wait for any greetings or pleasantries when the call was answered, instead, he bluntly asked a question that has been plaguing him for days. "Where's Nono?"

"Juudaime, are you alright?"

"Yeah, just…. Reborn stupid experiments" She grimaced with a hand on her face as if to push away the throbbing. Leon licked her cheek as if to comfort her, but all it did was smear a bit of slime on her skin.

"School is almost over, then Juudaime can finally rest"

"It's just felt eternal, you know" She murmured, wishing for time to go faster so that she could go and sleep in her bed.

"Guys, I think my brain just melted" Yamamoto approached them with a pout, hands messing with his hair.

"Did you just realize it?" Gokudera remarked with no ill intention.

"Did you solve it?"

"Ha, no. It's way too difficult for me. The sun isn't making it easier. Man, I could really use a little rain now"

"Or a storm" She agreed, however before they could expand a conversation over the weather, the Italian boy's name was called "Oh, it's your turn now"

"Che, that bastard. He obviously doesn't know the answer to that equation. It's not even an equation, it's an inequality"

"Gokudera-kun"

"Yes, Juudaime?"

"Please destroy him"

Gokudera brightened up and saluted firmly. He then turned to march with confidence and swag, his gleeful face was almost screaming 'I'm about to destroy this man's whole career for Juudaime' and he loved it.

What no one had realized was that Leon had jumped over to ride on the silver-haired boy's shoulder, his tiny yellow eyes blinked at the scowling teacher.

"Gokudera Hayato. You know boys like you are the worst. Delinquents, you lot. You only cheat your way to get good grades, you don't even study"

"Shall I start?" The boy ignored him in favour of grabbing the blue marker and turning towards the board "First of all, you're wrong. This isn't an equation as you so smartly put it. It's an inequality problem, can't you read? See here. A is less than B and only if there's a positive number, C can be added to A to give A + C = B. But you must add something to A to get B. Of course, that something must be positive-"

"What's he talking about?" Yamamoto asked Tsuna with plain confusion.

"No clue, he's a nerd"

For over a minute, the class listened to Gokudera rant and rant on how to solve the problem. At some point, he was practically speaking in Italian because no one had a clue on what he was even saying.

"-so, you eliminate fractions by multiplying all terms by the least common denominator of all fractions. Then combine, add or subtract quantities, divide each term of the inequality by the coefficient of the unknown and if the coefficient is positive, the inequality will remain the same. If the coefficient is negative, the inequality will be reversed" Gokudera finished by circling his answer "You can check your phone for the answer now"

"You little cheater-

"You're the rat here! You useless bastard!"

"Out! You're out of the class! I'm going to expel you!"

"Try me, you mediocre teacher"

Before Nezu could explode in anger as his red face showed, the most ridiculous and unexpected thing happened. In a split of a second, there was an octopus, a green tiny octopus glued to Nezu's head. The sudden slimy texture and suffocating limbs had the teacher flap and swing around funnily. At first, they were too shocked to do something, but as the man started waving his arms blindly while cursing, everyone dissolved into fits of laughter. The noise increased when black ink suddenly slithered through his neck and white shirt, making the teacher screech loudly.

Tsuna couldn't help it, she laughed. It's not what she had in mind, but Nezu got what he deserved. It was sweet revenge, consequences could be dealt with on Monday, for now, everyone could laugh and break the anxiety they had built up with this pointless exercise. People from inside were starting to open the windows and look down with laughter on their own, and she could make the unmistakable black uniform of the disciplinary committee rushing outside. What a fun way to end their first week of school.

But suddenly, as the merry sounds started to increase, they abruptly thinned out as she started to hear her own laughter in an echo-like tunnel. It was like all her senses had been dimmed and all she could hear was her own breathing. There was a strange sensation brewing inside of her that made her lean against the tree.

She grimaced at a sudden spike of throbbing in her head, and as she leaned forward to try to shake the feeling, she was able to feel something warm running down her nose. With shaky fingers, she brought a hand up and as she lowered it, red stained her blurry vision. Everything felt like a dream, and like every dream was bound to end, her reality started to fade away.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Yamamoto laughed loudly when Nezu's squirming made it look like he was doing the chicken dance. It was really funny, but with all the commotion, the disciplinary committee was finally marching their way to put order. Thankfully, with this being their last class, they could all go home.

He was thinking, maybe they could hang out at Tsuna's house to make sure she gets home safely and watch some movie to chill. He was really thankful she didn't participate in this activity, knowing Nezu, he was probably saving her for last. Well jokes on him, he thought as he turned to share the idea with the brunette, but his grin disappeared when he saw her pale face and a bloody nose.

"Tsuna!" he moved quickly to catch her before she hit the ground as her body fell like a doll whose strings were cut. "Hey, Tsuna, come on!"

She wasn't responding, her eyes were slid shut and drops of blood kept falling from her nose and into her parted lips. He knelt with her, trying to keep her body still as he searched for something to press her nose with, but he wasn't carrying tissues and in his frantic search, the brunette started to choke.

"Move" He was suddenly pushed aside by Hibari, who knelt in front of Tsuna and pressed a handkerchief to her nose as he leaned her head down and opened her mouth by pressing his fingers on her cheeks, letting her breathe through her mouth while her nose kept bleeding.

"Juudaime!" Gokudera almost threw himself to the ground, if it weren't for Hibari standing up with the brunette in his arms. "What happened? Why is she bleeding?!"

"I don't know what happened. She suddenly collapsed, she was fine a minute ago" Yamamoto tried to explain as best as he could. Part of his shirt was stained with blood when he grabbed her, and the sight and smell of it were making him ill.

"Gather her things, find the baby" Hibari ordered, not sparing them another second as he quickly made his way inside. His jacket was starting to be stained by blood due to him putting the handkerchief there so that the girl could press her nose while he carried her to the infirmary. It was kind of ridiculous, how when he went down to bite the noisy herbivores for the commotion, his eyes immediately landed on her bloody face.

He kicked the door open of the infirmary and let himself in, ignoring the startled shout of the doctor who jumped at his violent entrance. However, Shamal widened his eyes at the sight of just who it was, before sighing.

"She again? Sit her there, lean her head forward"

Hibari placed her on the bed and wrapped an arm around her waist to support her weight on him so that she wouldn't fall. Shamal quickly started to work with stopping the bleeding, it only took one minute, and when he was sure it had stopped he moved to check her heartbeat and pulse.

"What is wrong?" Asked Hibari with a frown, noting the gauze on one of her hands.

"There is nothing wrong with her" Shamal said, busy with his task "Nothing's out of place, her pulse and heartbeat are fine. Must be Reborn's new training. It's stressing her body. A herbal tea will calm her. And a warm bath, her skin is cold"

The brunette was still out but her face, neck and some hair were stained with blood. Miraculously, there wasn't a single drop in her uniform, so at least that counted as something good. He removed the oversized jacket she was wearing - the wrong uniform, he will have to bite her to death later for breaking the code - and wrapped the sleeves around her waist.

Shamal brought some wipes, but before he could step near, Hibari grabbed one and started cleaning the blood from her face. The doctor was giving him a strange look, but he ignored him, he could beat him later. Not a second later after he had rolled three red wipes on the bed, the door banged open again.

"Hibari-

"Go home, classes are over" In a swift movement, he had the girl on his back with her arms around his neck and legs being hoisted over his arms.

"You-

"But-

"Where's Reborn?" Shamal asked.

"Couldn't find him" Yamamoto said, looking at him and then at Hibari who was making his way to the door.

"Wait, you can't take Juudaime away"

"Scram, herbivores"

Both boys argued, Gokudera obviously in distress and Yamamoto in worry, he even was still carrying the brunette’s school bag but the prefect made no motion to grab it as he walked away. Before they could follow, however, the doctor placed a hand over their shoulders and stopped them.

"Wait, both of you"

"What?"

“Shamal, let go!”

"Sit down, I need to ask you something"

**.**

**.**

**.**

He made his way down the quiet streets, it pleased him that despite being Friday and noon, there weren't students or adults loitering around. It was still early, maybe. But as long as no one crossed his path as he carried the unconscious girl on his back, the better.

As a gust of wind hit him, he briefly tugged down the jacket around her waist so that her skirt wouldn't lift as they walked. It was easier to carry her in his arms, but in case he met some stupid herbivores or was ignited to fight, he needed both arms to freely hit so it was best to act in advance.

He was confused and wanted answers. He hadn't seen the girl since school let out before summer vacations, and the brief glances from the hallway here and then didn't reveal any indication of an illness or injury. He knew of the Mafia, like hungry moths, they will always come back to the source of light. He had been waiting for another conflict to rise, but things had been pretty tamed.

Suddenly, the limp arms around his neck tightened.

"You awake?"

"Wha... happened?" Tsuna breathed out groggily, mind slow to process what was real and what was not. Was this a dream? She felt like she was floating.

"You tell me"

"I don' know… it got dark" She tried to move, but arms around her legs brought her down and stopped her action. She blinked in discomfort and had a moment of panic before she realized where she was and with whom. His black jacket against her cheek was very unmistakable, not to mention, the herbal aroma.

"And now?"

"'m fine" she nuzzles her head on his shoulder tiredly, still trying to pick up the pieces of what happened. One moment she was dreaming, the next she woke up on the back of Kyoya. It happened so fast, she wasn't aware of the time, for to her it felt like seconds. They walked, well… Kyoya walked in silence towards a familiar neighbourhood, and as the fog clogging her head started to lift, she realized it was her house.

He let her down slowly, and she took her time to straighten up without losing her balance.

"Sorry for your jacket" She said as soon as she spotted the red smear "I'll wash it for you"

"It's nothing"

"As thanks for carrying me home"

"hn" He crossed his arms and turned to walk away, but Tsuna tugged at him to stop. In moments, she had the black gakuran in her arms.

"You know, you should stay for dinner. My mom has been asking for you, you are breaking her heart at refusing her meals"

"It's fine. I don't want to bother"

"MOM! I'm home! Kyoya's here!" She yelled as soon as she opened the door.

"You-"

"Ara, ara, what a surprise!" Nana came walking in, drying her hands in a towel "How are you doing Hibari-kun?"

"Fine, Sawada-san, how do you do?"

Tsuna smiled before wandering inside the laundry room. She felt a little bad at dragging him in, but she needed time. She needed to stop and think just what the hell had happened. Her head felt empty and her body tired. She was still battling in her mind to find if this was a dream or if she was awake. It was scary and it left a hollow feeling inside.

She set the jacket under warm water and scrubbed some soap over the blood to wash it away. Her hands fumbled over each other as a sob threatened to escape her lips, but she swallowed it down hard. She didn't know what was happening, but she knew things would only start to get worse. She needed answers before the shadows took her by surprise and tried to manipulate her.

She asked in her head what was happening, but there was no answer. All she could hear from the moment she woke up was one single line repeating itself over and over in whispers.

**_He is coming. He is coming. He is coming._ **

The yells of her name by the kids made her sniff and compose herself. She can breakdown in the bath later, right now she needs to put on a happy face so she doesn't worry her mother. Taking the now spotless jacket from the bucket of water, she squeezed it before placing it inside the drying machine.

She threw the dirty water down the drain and fixed her hair. As she walked out and towards the kitchen, she was aware she was wearing Gokudera's jacket over her waist. Raising a confused eyebrow at that, she pulled it and tucked it on her arms.

Walking back to the kitchen, she was received by hugs on her legs by the kids who welcome her back eagerly. Kyoya was sitting down on a chair while her mother was brewing some tea. The boy was eying the expensive tea box suspiciously but opted not to comment on the foreign brand.

"How was your day, Tsuna-chan?"

"It was good, Gokudera won against our math teacher. The whole school saw it, it was funny"

"Kids these days. You must be tired, Hibari-kun"

You have no idea, it's what appeared to be written in his face but was too polite and brooding to say aloud. However, both Sawada women could see it, which made them giggle at his expression.

Their friendship has always surprised Nana, who nevertheless welcomed the child her daughter brought home one day. After coming back from Italy, Tsuna had closed off from everyone. She was quiet and never interacted with any of her schoolmates or kids in the park. So imagine her surprise, when instead of a girl her age, she befriended a quiet boy with a quirk for order and law rights.

It was cute, watching them grow. And she was really glad her daughter had found solace in someone after the traumatic experience in Italy. And now, she not only had 2 but a crowd of friends who really cared and worried for her. It made her really happy.

**.**

**.**

**.**

After finishing their tea, Kyoya and Tsuna walked back to the laundry room while her mother started to make dinner with the help of Ipin, who was really bashful at meeting Kyoya. Fuuta and Lambo decided to watch some cartoons and there were no signs of Reborn yet, so it gave them some peace and quiet over the thrumming of the machine.

"Give it two more minutes and it will be ready" she said and both leaned against opposite walls, facing each other.

"What's the new training?" She wasn't surprised that he knew about that.

"It's to create some mental barriers. You know how Mukuro can possess someone who has been stabbed with his trident? Well, in the fight it kinda cut me, it wasn't deep enough to cause damage, but it made a connection between us"

Kyoya was glaring at her. Whether for mentioning that name or for not telling him about the cut or the threat it poses. Can a glare convey more than one meaning? Apparently, it can.

"I don't know how deep it is, but I can feel him when he's near, even while invisible. We can talk when I'm deep asleep. No harm done, he can't see my memories or control my thoughts, we just… talk"

"Just talk"

"Reborn is trying to close the link though, says it's dangerous"

"You should"

"I really don't think so. He is lonely in that prison. There's no harm with a little chat"

Kyoya didn't respond, simply crossed his arms and continued to glare at her as if to value her stupidity. She pouted at him and pushed herself from the wall to walk over the drying machine to check on the jacket when his voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Saturday, I'm taking you somewhere"

"A-Are you asking me… y-you know, out?" She couldn't help it after what happened with Moichida. Whenever they crossed paths on the halls he would smirk at her teasingly and she would glare with a blushing face. She was too busy with the mafia, she couldn't deal with boys and crushes right now.

"No" Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her, glare deepening.

"Okay. Okay, where are we going?"

"You will know when we get there"

"Come on, give me a hint"

"No"

"Fine" She handed him back his dry jacket and crossed her arms, debating herself if she should involve him in any more matters. True to be told, Kyoya was possibly her biggest ally, if anything because they have known each other the longest. It was safe to say that they knew the other better than anyone.

"Hey…" She said in a quiet voice "Come with me to the hospital"

He looked down at her with confusion and wonder.

"It's not the first time my nose bleeds, but it's the first I fainted. There's something going on with me, I know"

"Nothings wrong with you"

"Says the carnivorous guy who bites people to death"

"We'll go in the morning"

"Okay"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"You are heading somewhere?" Reborn practically demanded when he saw her getting ready at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning.

After Kyoya had left and she had tiny bites at dinner, she locked herself in the bath where she proceeded to have a meltdown. She was scared and anxious to find the truth, and the possible threat that was to come did nothing to calm her paranoid mind. Her intuition was practically singing and ignoring her distress, that only caused her headache to turn into a migraine and by the time Reborn came home, she was already sleeping on her bed.

"I have business with Kyoya" She grabbed her phone from the charger and at his blinking stare, she paused "Hibari. I'll be okay"

"Where are you going with him?"

"Dunno, he refuses to tell me. Mom already gave me permission to go" She tucked her things into her hoodie pocket and made her way downstairs before the hitman gets any ideas like tagging along.

"You're getting a bit too close to him"

"Yeah? We have always been like this" Her mother even knows his favourite food, she thought with amusement so she dismissed Reborn's implication.

"Dame-Tsuna"

"I'll be back later" She called from the door to her mother who came to see her off.

"Have fun, dear! Ne, Reborn, would you mind helping me? I just bought some Italian coffee, would you try it?"

She was almost alarmed by the notion of her mother buying Italian coffee, Reborn was very selective with his espresso and no one else drank it, but the hitman wouldn't refuse her mother and that gave her a few hours of liberty. As she closed the door and looked around, she spotted Kyoya leaning against the gates of her house. There was no bike this time, but walking was okay too, it helped calm one's nerves.

"Ready?"

He nodded and together they embarked on their way to the hospital in comfortable silence. Because of the time, the streets were deserted and the shops were just starting to open up. It was a quick walk, even the hospital reception was empty as they walked towards the front desk.

"Hello, I'm here for an appointment. Sawada, Yuuki" She greeted the nurse who immediately checked the system for her name.

"Floor 6, door number 3" She glanced warily at her "Aren't you a bit young to come to the doctor alone?"

"He is with me" She pointed towards the brooding Hibari Kyoya and by the sour expression of the nurse, that answer was enough. They made their way through the elevator and to the assigned door. She knocked before opening, seeing a middle-aged man standing up to greet her.

"Good morning, I'm Dr Ishida. You must be Sawada Yuuki"

"Yes, Good morning"

"No parents?"

"They're at work" The doctor paused, a bit wary of the visit without them while clearly being a minor.

"Move it, herbivore" Kyoya glared at him from his position near the wall and the doctor scrambled by his presence. Seemed it was a good idea to bring a dragon guardian along to scare everyone into compliance.

"W-What seems to be the problem?" He led the brunette towards the chair in front of the desk as he sat behind it.

"I've been having headaches. Bad ones. My nose bleeds for unknown reasons, I could be sitting in bed, and it happens. I get shivers and feel tired and yesterday, I fainted"

"Are you eating well?"

"3 meals a day, sometimes I skip dinner though"

"Hmm. We need to take a blood test and see if you are anaemic or not. Have you eaten?" She shook her head at that "Perfect! Come this way"

He led her to another room and informed a nurse to take a blood test with two samples while he went to create her medical record.

"Sawada, Yuuki? Hello, I'm nurse Murayama. I'm going to ask you to raise your sleeve. When's the last time you ate?"

"Yesterday, at 7 pm"

"Good. I'm going to draw some blood now, can you confirm your information is correct?" She showed her a tiny tube where her name had been printed, at her nod the nurse proceeded to rub some alcohol over the vein area and opened the syringe.

She was very, very thankful that she wasn't scared of needles.

"Alright, as you can see, this is brand new. I'm going to start now, you will feel a little pinch, just relax your arm for me. That's it, there we go, unclench your hand. That's one… and two. We're done, thank you" After tucking the two blood samples the nurse placed a circular band-aid where she drew the blood and helped lower the sleeve back down "Don't move your arm for the next few hours to prevent bruising. We'll have your results later today, so check your email around 5 pm"

"Thank you" Tsuna stood up to bow to the nurse.

"There's some juice and cookies in the next room, feel free to take some while the doctor gets ready for you"

"I will, thank you!" She walked out of the room and smiled at Kyoya "Free cookies!"

"Don't move your arm"

"It didn't even hurt"

"How will you explain the bruise to your mother?" Kyoya questioned as he watched her walk into another room that had a mini fridge, a coffee machine and packets of snacks that the brunette immediately went to.

"I have come into possession of makeup. It's like paint, only that it's for your skin" Just as she was about to open a bag of hazelnut & chocolate chip cookies, the doctor stepped in to stop her.

"Ah, before you eat, please allow me to check your sugar levels" She set the bag down and walked towards the doctor who was setting up a tiny oval machine next to the counter she was standing. He drew in a pen looking thing and asked for one of her fingers. "You will feel a little pinch in your finger"

She flinched a little when a tiny sting hit her skin. It didn't hurt, it was more the unexpected action. The doctor removed the pen and led her finger gently towards the oval machine where a drop of blood fell on a tiny tablet.

The doctor thanked her and let her wash her hand on the sink next to the fridge, the puncture was so tiny so there wasn't even a mark left, she inspected with curiosity. A little beep revealed the results and she turned towards the doctor who had a grim face on him.

"Let's go to the office" He told her lightly, and she grabbed the bag of cookies and a juice box with worry sweeping on her gut.

"Is that bad?" She asked as soon as she sat down and sipped a bit of apple juice.

"It's a bit low. You have 75. The normal range of sugar in the blood is around 80, if it drops to 70 it could be dangerous. Does anyone in your family have diabetes or low blood pressure?"

"Not that I'm aware of"

"Are you doing exercises?"

"Yes. I run and train my body, sometimes fight in combat. But I have a professional trainer, he makes me eat properly and gives me rest when needed…"

"Forgive me for saying it, but you're on the skinny side. It appears you're burning fat. A lot and at a high rate" The doctor set some papers down to look at her pointedly "You have no sugar in your system, that's making you have dizzy spells and fainting episodes. The stress in your body is occasioning the bleeding and the strain and low sugar giving you headaches"

He explained, and the medical aspect lifted a bit of tension from her shoulders but the cookie she had taken a bite of tasted dry and bitter as her intuition whispered **_not quite, not right..._ **

"The blood test results will reveal more about it, but for now I recommend you stop any activities to let your body rest. I will prescribe you to take 3 glucose tablets a day before every meal. Drink fresh juice and milk. And carry candy with you, so when you feel dizzy, just pop it into your mouth to keep sugar circulating" He said as he wrote down a prescription and paused to give her time to soak in the information. At her nod of acceptance, he continued.

"I will also advise keeping your sugar level monitored. You can ask in our pharmacy for a Blood Glucose Monitoring Kit, it's on the cheap side" He smiled and handed her the prescription "Would you like to schedule another appointment once the results are out?"

"I will talk it over with my parents first" She folded the paper and tucked it in one of her hoodie pockets.

"If anything happens, just ask for me and we'll schedule an appointment" He stood up as she did, and nodded at her bow.

"I will, thank you"

"Have a good day, young lady"

"Thank you, you too"

As she and Kyoya walked out and towards the elevator, she finished her juice in silence as her mind processed the information gathered. Having low blood sugar easily explained the headaches, dizzy spells and strain in her body. The pressure and anxiety of the Mafia over her head was an added pressure that was starting to hurt her body through sleepless nights and anxiety-ridden days. It made sense and she wanted to believe it, but there was another factor at hand, one she wasn't ready to accept yet that could possibly compromise everything. 

_**The flames.** _

"Why are your levels low?" Kyoya asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know… is it really bad?"

"With all the sugar you eat, it's surprising"

"Hey! That's rude! True, but rude" She glared at him, but he was right. She did eat a lot of fruits, bakes and cookies. She consumed a lot of sugar weekly, so it really was surprising to know there was no sugar or fat in her.

She dropped her empty snacks in a recycle bin and approached the pharmacy desk where a young man greeted her.

"Good morning, we need this" She handed him the prescription, and at his wary confused look, Kyoya stepped closer to glare at him.

"You're slow, herbivore"

"Coming right up, young lady" He quickly nodded and rushed around to gather what she needed.

"You really are rude" Tsuna poked Kyoya in the arm, at which he grunted and walked a few steps away. She smiled at him, amused by attitude and turned to the desk when the man assisting it handed her the items she required.

"That will be 500¥" She nodded and handed him a credit card at which he opted not to comment due to the presence hovering at her back. The transaction was fast and she didn't need to sign any ticket, so with another bow, they started to make their way out of the hospital. Because she made the appointment and paid online, nothing was stopping them from going outside.

"Iemitsu's second credit card" She said, feeling Kyoya's stare "I have it connected in my system, so every time I use it, it immediately erases traces of where, when and what I do with it. Pretty cool, huh?"

"I should arrest you" He grumbled.

"You wouldn't do that" She said cheekily, both knowing the truth of her statement.

It was 8 in the morning, and Namimori was already awake. Cars were creating traffic and pedestrians made their way around the city to whatever date they had early in the day. When Tsuna had it her way, she would wake at noon and reduce the possibility of going out so early in the morning. Haru learned that the hard way.

"So, where are we really going?"

"The graveyard"

"Oh" She paused, but he merely tugged at her hoodie to keep walking "You should have told me… I would have brought flowers"

Kyoya didn't comment, he didn't need to. Every year around this date he took the same trip and she always went with him, because that's what their relationship was about. Need and freedom. She always made sure to prepare a bucket as a sign of respect because Kyoya will never do that, it wasn't in his personality so she took it upon herself to fill that role. With the short notice, however, she will have to pick some wildflowers on their way or maybe they could pass through a flower shop.

Too busy thinking of flowers, she flinched when someone bumped into her shoulder. As she stepped out of their way, someone running on her other side jostled her again. That person became two and suddenly a crowd of people were screaming and running in all directions.

"Kyoya!" She yelled when the crowd pushed her backwards, making him let go of her grip on the hoodie. She tried to brace herself and squeeze her way forward through the panic. She started to feel dread as the cars on the road became frantic and honk at each other in avoidance of a crash. They all seemed to be coming from the same direction, the one they were walking to. Stretching her neck through the mass of heads, she was able to see smoke arising not too far from them.

Her eyes widened, and she almost lost her footing by being distracted. She shot her arms through and pushed her way forwards, turning in all directions for the colour black. By some miracle, she saw it. And her eyes never once left his tensed and frantic figure as she forced her way towards him. She reached out and grabbed his hand in a tight grip, action that made him look at her with wild wide eyes.

"I'm okay. Kyoya, hey" she told him softly, grabbing his hands tightly and stepping closer to him as if to prove her statement "I'm okay, it's okay"

His grip on her became forceful to the point of hurting, but she let him hold her in fear they would be separated again.

There was an explosion a couple of streets away, and thankfully, the number of civilians had reduced greatly. Kyoya snarled and almost turned towards the source of the disturbance, but stopped because he was able to see an orange glint shimmering in the brunette's eyes. It was so sudden, as if a flashlight had suddenly danced over her face and lightened her eyes. But it was there, and by the way her body froze up, it could only mean the bad kind of trouble.

"Huh?" She murmured, wide eyes staring ahead.

"What?"

"I just…" She shook her head and tried to back away but his grip on her didn't let her "B-But it can't- I… I…"

Something's wrong. **_Something's terribly wrong._ **

She shuddered and tried not to panic, but her heartbeat was starting to increase and she could hear her own shallow breathing like the fading incident from before.

"Take me out of here" She whispered with terrified eyes "Now, take me out of here, now!"

Kyoya whipped out one tonfa and tugged at her hand to make a run, but they were too late.

A boy with dirty blond hair crashed in front of them, scrambling to get a box in his fumbling hands, and not one second later his attacker followed. All breath left her body as she stared at the swordsman with wide-open eyes.

Noting the long, white hair cascading in the air, the black uniform with silver buttons and the glinting of a sword attached to his left hand. But it was his eyes, the bluish-grey eyes that made her heart ache.

Eyes that were staring right back at her in shock.

"S-Squalo?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's when it gets complicated. Have fun!
> 
> Let me know what you think!


	17. Ashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Chapter Warnings- Cursing. Mentions of suicide thoughts. Graphic violent scene. Bad parenting. Mental issues. Angst. So much Angst. 
> 
> Sorry my lovelies, it will be sad for a while.
> 
> Please, take care everybody!

**.**

**.**

**.**

She couldn't breathe.

It was like time had frozen over and whatever it was she was seeing was nothing but a dream. It felt endless, staring at the man in front of her and asking her mind if this was an illusion. But her intuition, once dulled into quiet whispers was starting to shout that the white-haired man was real. That he was there; **_here._ **

However, instead of being rejoiced by that, she could feel a sense of dread by his mere presence. She wanted to be happy or even surprised at the sudden appearance of the man who used to take care of her when she was little, but she didn't. Instead, she felt sad and desperate for answers, answers only the swordsman could provide. And she felt her heart squeeze at that thought because she knew; _ her intuition screamed _ , that whatever reason he was here for was going to break her heart.

But before she could even utter a word a car violently stopped next to her with enough force to make her flinch back into reality. The smell of burnt tires and the loud screech it did made her snap her head towards it, and she was shocked when the back door opened to reveal a familiar blond man.

"Tsuna, get the box!"

She looked down, noting the blue box the unknown boy had been trying to get and then up towards the swordsman who had been following her eyes the entire time. Her body moved before she could even breathe, with trained reflexes that had the trademark of Reborn's surprise training, she dived down.

In perfect synchronisation, Kyoya swung one tonfa at the white-haired man who had tried to follow her, forcing him to raise his sword to block the attack and giving her the perfect opportunity to grab the little box despite the fallen boy's efforts of taking it back.

With a tight grip on the box, she sprang towards the car where Dino was reaching for her with an arm, urging her to get in.

"Go, Go!" He yelled. She was barely inside before Romario, who was driving, stepped on the accelerator and the car rocked by the sudden force of speed and the U-turn it did as it drove away. She would have fallen if it weren't for Dino holding her waist with one arm to pull her inside and closing the door shut with the other.

The sound of a starting battle was left behind as the car drove through the highway, evading any collisions and running pedestrians still trying to escape the chaos around them.

And it was silent for a moment, Tsuna didn't register Dino putting on her seat belt for her, as her body remained frozen in adrenaline while her white fingers kept clutching the box tightly to her chest. Her eyes, still wide open in shock, remained looking ahead with a faraway expression.

"Where to, boss?"

"The hotel, take a busy avenue"

"What the fuck…"

"Tsuna-

"What the fuck is Squalo doing here?!" She screamed, making Dino wince. He turned his body so that he could face her and his arms grabbed hers in an attempt to calm her down.

"There's going to be a battle, Tsuna. Listen to me, Varia is here. They are after the Vongola rings, they want to decide who's going to become Vongola Decimo"

"What? wait, w-what?" She shook her head and tried to back away from him, but his grip didn't let her. She was forced to stare at him, taking in the sympathy on his eyes that made a hollow feeling brew in her chest. Slowly, the words he was saying processed in her mind."V-Varia? but…"

She couldn't say what she wanted to, because if she did then it would be real. And the truth seemed more painful than the lonely life she had been living in. Everything she had known was crumbling, and she didn't care in the way her intuition hummed at knowing that what she had been longing for years was coming true, because Dino was looking at her with a heartbroken expression of a guilty man.

"Xa-" she couldn't talk, her mouth opened and closed a few times with words dying in her throat at the whirlwind of emotions clawing at her core. Her wide eyes stared at Dino with incredulous hysteria and a tiny bit of hope that made the blond Italian's eyes swell. "Xan… Xanxus is alive?"

"He never...he…" The blond brought his hands up and caressed her face softly, rubbing gently the skin under her eyes as they started to glister with tears "There was a coup d'état after you left Italy. I, we all thought he died, but… Nono imprisoned him"

"What are you… saying?"

She kept shaking her head and her breath started to become shallow as what Dino was saying started to sink in. Her mind came to halt, not wanting to process what he was implying, but her intuition raged for her. It was crying loudly at the injustice and the truth of it all because they had lied to her.

"Oh my god…"

They  **lied** to her.

Two days after she returned to Japan; when she was lonely and broken and just wishing to go back to the way life used to be where she was happy, one grandfather regrettably called to inform her of the heartbreaking news, in which the persons she had been waiting for was never going to come, because he was dead.

"Stop the car"

He told her he had died on a mission, a mission he took on the day she parted Italy, blindly raging at anyone who crossed his path and that in his mad fury, he had been lost to the world. He told her that Xanxus was gone and left her broken in a shattered world. And now he was orchestrating her life, and all that had happened and she had done, was because of him. They played with her, cast her aside and when they needed her, they were forcing and expecting her to comply like a doll.

"STOP THE CAR!"

The window rattled at her outburst, and Romario was fast to hit the breaks at her scream. She breathed loudly as she tried to release the seat belt but her fingers were numb and not complying to her. She had to tug really hard for the buckle to release and once it did, she fumbled to open the door of the car.

"Tsuna, wait, wait! Where are you-? Tsuna the rings-"

"They're fake" She dropped the box as she stepped out, half stumbling into the empty street.

She walked in silence for a while, eyes trembling and watering with tears as her heart broke all over again. She knew she didn't have the strength for what was going to come, that she was going to face her past when she had long since buried it. Her legs shook and suddenly, her energy left her body. She crouched down with a sob, bringing her hands up to hide her face as tears started to fall.

She didn't feel any pain when her legs collapsed and she sat there in the middle of the street for who knew how long. She couldn't even scream or cry out loud despite how much her chest begged to release the emotions stuck in there. All she could do was sob in her hands, the only barrier shielding her from the world. She didn't even move when she heard steps approaching her.

"Tsuna..." Dino whispered, kneeling in front of her.

"He… he is alive," She choked up in her tears and her wet hands released her face in order to tug at her hair "All this time... Where was he? Why did they lie to me?" She ended the question with a sob, a wrenching sound that broke Dino's heart.

He didn't wait for another second, he wrapped his arms around her and brought her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin and letting her cry in his shoulder as he rubbed her back. And she just broke down, crying hard in the comforting arms of the person who knew how much she suffered, and hating herself because they weren't the arms she was longing to hug and being scared because of what she had done.

"H-He's going to hate me"

"No he won't" Dino muttered, and that was all the consoling words he could give her because he didn't know what else to do.

"Are they…" she paused, hands clenching over his jacket because the answer was clear even without her hyper intuition "They are going to make me fight him…"

"There can only be one candidate, Tsuna"

"I don't…" She swallowed another sob and shook her tear-stained face in the shoulder of the blond "I don't want to be Vongola Decimo"

"I know" he kissed the top of her head with a pained face.

For they both knew that her wants and wishes were not strong enough for the Mafia's whims.

"Boss" Romario approached them carefully, not wanting to invade the moment but also needing to urge them to take cover. His boss understood either way.

"I got it" Dino hoisted Tsuna up. She didn't put up a fight and wrapped her arms and legs around the blond, feeling exhausted after bawling her eyes out.

They stepped back into the car, Dino never once letting go of the brunette. He didn't bother with his seat belt this time, just leaned back and kept holding the girl to his chest as Romario started to drive. Thankfully, the streets were normal in traffic and there didn't seem to be any conflict around them.

Tsuna was starting to get sleepy, and she would have dozed off her exhaustion if it weren't for a phone ringing loudly in the quiet car. Dino tried to reach for it without jostling her much, but she didn't mind. She was too tired to move or feel bothered by his movements. The blond was quick to grab the cell phone and his grimacing face was the only indicator as to who the caller was.

"Hello, Reborn. Tsuna is with me. I'm taking her to my suite; it's best if she is not followed to her home. Yes, I will brief her of the situation"

The talk was quick and ended fast, the hitman merely ordering the blond to keep an eye on the girl until he arrived. Dino didn't want to tell that to the brunette, he knew that she was not emotionally ready to hear the situation, and with the hitman being unaware of the girl's feelings and being tactless to those around him, it was just moments away for the brunette to completely break.

They arrived at the hotel without much trouble, Tsuna didn't realize she was already inside the Italian's room until he was gently lowering her to the ground. He didn't unwrap his arms from her until her feet were steady enough, and once she took a step back to look around the room, he let her go.

"Why don't you take a warm bath? I'm going to order some lunch, you want cake?"

And it was a pathetic attempt to lift her spirits, but Tsuna merely nodded.

She walked towards the expensive bathroom and leaned on the door when she closed it behind her. She stared at the white porcelain in silence, her mind a jumbled mess of hope and fear, it was too much for her.

It was just too much.

A warm bubble bath might soothe her body but it won't wash her anxiety. She could stay there until the water had turned cold, just thinking and crying but her problems would only pile until they drag her down and sink her into oblivion.

Well, she thought bitterly, taking a bath instead of hiding inside the bathroom for hours doing nothing was at least something. So she proceeded to fill the tub with lukewarm water and remove her hoodie. Placing it on top of the sink, the sound of wrapping paper made her aware of the medication she was keeping in there, and what the doctor had said to her in the morning.

She looked down at her hand, pale and bare from any mark. But if you looked closely, on two of her fingertips, there were two vertical lines, barely visible due to the colour being a tone darker than her own skin. When she was little, she had burnt her fingers in the kitchen stove, foolishly thinking that by touching fire she could wield it too.

But she didn't, and instead gained her first scars and a reprimand by the person she looked up to, harshly scolding her because what she did was stupid because that power was never going to be hers.

And yet... 6 years later, all it took was a bullet in the head for the flames to lick her fingers without scorching.

She shuddered, clenching her hand in reflex as she turned to look at the closed door.

Reborn was here.

**.**

**.**

**.**

She died.

That was the first thing she remembered when she woke up in the white empty room.

Her body was dead but somehow, her soul resisted and kept fighting in the abyss while clinging to her broken husk until life started anew. It was odd. Even now, with the machines helping her breathe, her lungs shouldn't be able to do so, because she was sure part of her organs were gone.

And yet, she was breathing.

There was something keeping her alive, be it magic or a miracle; whatever it was brought artificial time to her already limited one.

But why? She asked quietly in her mind. What was the purpose of living when there was nothing to live for? No home, no family, no friends, no dreams… She was nothing but an empty puppet, borrowing time and space by just waiting for it to end. The car crash she barely remembers had killed away any chance at a happy life. So why?

Why was she still here when no one else wanted her? That was the question that kept her awake when the sun was up and shining through the window. If it was up to her, she would spend the rest of her time sleeping, because it was only there, when her consciousness floated in the dark that she didn't feel alone.

Because when she slept, she dreamt of a garden with beautiful trees ranging from orange and pink to yellow and white. It was like a sanctuary for her tired mind, thinking that maybe this was to be her final resting place. The garden offered an echo of comfort and peace, walking around while admiring the flowers helped soothe the pain in her heart, it felt like she was walking home.

And as she walked, deeper into this enchanted land, she felt a breeze rustle her body gently. And at her feet, a sudden blur of black walked past by. She blinked down at the creature, recognizing the pointy ears and long fluffy tail that swished with every step it took.

A cat.

Her memory jostled, flashing moments before the accident that should have ended her to appear in her mind. She saw and remembered stepping into the traffic line to save a little cat from danger, never once thinking of the harm that would befall on her.

Was this the afterlife then? She questioned as she stared at the cat walking around the garden like it was his home.

Her dreams always ended like that, with her watching the cat walking away before she was woken up by nurses and doctors coming and taking her for another surgery or test. And she was so tired that all she wanted to do was sleep.

So one moment, when her body felt numb and her heart ached with loneliness when she opened her eyes and found herself surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees, she took a decision. When the cat walked right past her, she followed.

And as she did, the cat turned to see her with a mismatched stare that seemed to draw her further.

Before she knew it, there was a coldness that surrounded her, a mist so thick and rich in power that wrapped around her in almost like a possessive grip. But it didn't hurt. No, it felt more like a cocoon, shielding and protecting her. There were no voices talking, but she could feel a question, asking for it to be let in.

And she did, without thinking, she welcomed the cool presence with open arms. Because she wanted that, she wanted that so much that it hurt waking up and seeing that mist gone.

So she followed the cat down the wonderland. And as she did, walking through the magnolia trees, she was able to feel alive again.

The cat that had ended her life was offering her a new one in the form of a blazing warmth.

So hot and pleasant, it felt like a hug in a summer afternoon. She felt happy and welcomed, it was like she had found the place where she belonged. And she swore right there and then that she would protect this sanctuary, this home.

And as she smiled for the first time since she woke up in the hospital with her parents gone and her life in ruins, she somehow knew that things will change for the better. With the mist by her side, and the warmth surrounding her, she knew there was a reason to keep fighting for.

The wind blew gently, making tiny leaves and petals dance down from the sky and decorate her figure with gracefulness. And she could hear it, the wind chiming, calling for her.

Chrome.

What a nice name, she thought as she drifted into a pleasant dream.

**.**

**.**

**.**

He couldn't get what the school nurse had said out of his head.

Even when he arrived home, and received a text from the brunette later at night to let him know she was home safe and feeling better, the bad feeling and trepidation didn't leave him.

_ Will you fight for her?  _ The doctor had asked.

Neither he nor Gokudera understood the heaviness that question carried, so they both answered right away with a quick and loud yes. Because it was the truth, although both considered the question in different meanings, their answers were still the same truth. Yes, they will fight for the brunette. They will fight for her dreams, protect her from the pains around her and shield her from the horrors that haunted her.

He thought that was enough for an answer, but then Shamal had looked at them both with pity,  _ because the sky you're following, might not want you to follow. _

And that struck a cold blow inside of him. He still didn't understand what all the weather terms meant in this mafia game, but if there was one thing he was sure of was that Tsuna was named the Sky. And he knew that despite letting him hang around her and accepting his presence, she didn't want him to get closer.

A fight.

There was going to be another fight. The last one ended with all of them in the hospital and with Tsuna putting barriers around her. It was why this summer had been so great, because they spent it together, just playing and hanging around, doing normal stuff and having a great time. And if another battle broke out and they got hurt again, or worse, he was almost sure that this time he was going to lose her for good.

"You are distracted" His father's voice broke him out of the spell that had him rubbing the table with a washcloth for the past 20 minutes.

"Sorry, Pops. Just thinking" He smiled to shake his father's worries away, and opted that the table was clean enough, so he walked away towards another one to pick the empty plates some customers had left behind.

He tried to keep his head clear as he worked in the restaurant, it wouldn't be good if he suddenly dropped some plates or bumped into the tables with his airy mind. But he was so worried, it was impossible to concentrate any further.

So it was a bit embarrassing - and a bit mortifying - when his father had to pull him into the kitchen for a forceful break.

"Alright, what is it?" His father sat him down in a stool and stood in front of him with his arms crossed. His face was a mix of sternness and worry. It was the face that forced you to tell the truth while letting you know that you were not in trouble.

There had never been secrets between his father and him, though he had omitted some things to try and lessen the worry, he knew he could trust his father when he felt lost and afraid.

"I think there's going to be a battle" he admitted quietly.

"A battle?" His father frowned, suddenly alarmed but still calm in posture "Okay. Why?"

"I don't know much, but it's going to be big and important"

And there was so much at risk, if this approaching fight was worse than the one they had at Kokuyo Land, they could get badly hurt, not only their bodies but their hearts and spirits too.

"And you want to be ready"

"I have to be ready"

He needed to be stronger. Strong enough to fight and strong enough to protect. It was pure luck he was able to win against the beast boy, though he broke his arm again, and then he was knocked down, and when he woke up, it was to find more destruction and more wounds, and Tsuna fighting with a cold frown on her face.

He didn't want that to happen again.

"What are your reasons then? Why are you fighting for?"

When he asked his father to train him with the sword, the first rule was to never let his feelings blind his motives. He needed to have a clear head and a calm mind when he wielded the weapon, otherwise, it would only backfire and end up hurting him.

He had been doing many drills and techniques every day, but that was with the thought that it was a dojo practice with his father guiding him. The question that was making him doubt was if he would be able to keep a cool head in a real, dangerous fight while knowing that he could potentially lose the brunette, and Gokudera too, if he were to lose.

He was confident in his abilities, but a part of him was telling him that it wasn't going to be enough.

"I just want to have fun with my friends" He confessed with a sad smile. And truly, that was all he wanted. To be with his friends, be happy and laugh with them, even if he ended up getting hurt.

Even if it was his downfall.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna took longer than necessary.

Call her a coward, but her anxiety had crippled her to remain locked in the bathroom for almost three hours. True to her thoughts, she had stayed inside the bathtub until the water had run cold and her fingers had become wrinkled.

It was only when Dino finally knocked on the door, calling for her in worry to come out and eat something that she stepped out.

Her body had chilled, but she couldn't feel the shivers coursing her skin. She dressed back into her clothes, with her hoodie being a source of welcoming warmth that she greedily accepted. She made sure that her prescription and medication remained hidden in the pocket and out of sight before finally opening the door and stepping back into the room.

"Oh, you didn't drown" Reborn sarcasm was not missed as she walked stiffly towards the sofa in the middle of the suite.

"Why are you here?" She asked cautiously. She could still remember yesterday's morning, how his voice and command had been so dark and forceful, it had scared her. And she had a reason to be sacred.

"Dino already told you some of it, but you need to hear the official version. Sit"

She did so if only because she knew her knees wouldn't stand the talk that was about to come. Dino was sitting next to her, silent and supportive as he always was to her. She noted that there were cakes and sandwiches on the table waiting for her, as well as some jar of juice that looked really fresh and tasty for her dry throat, but she didn't move to grab them because her eyes were immediately drawn towards the blue velvety box resting in the middle of the table.

Reborn sat in front of her, sitting on a single sofa and drinking a cup of steaming espresso. She knew it was coffee because she could smell the bitter stench since she walked into the room.

"By Mafia's law, only the heirs possessing the famiglia blood are in direct line for the position of head of the famiglia once the old boss is gone. You are a direct descendant from Vongola Primo, the founder of Vongola. The generations you carry in your blood make you the rightful heir and future Vongola Decimo. It's what it should have been if you were the only heir left"

Seemed like Reborn was not bothered to drop the bomb. He took a moment to sip his coffee, making Tsuna squirm a little in her seat for what was coming next.

"It had been revealed the survival of one of Nono's sons, Xanxus. Because his brothers had died, the position had befallen to the next one in line, him. But he was believed to have died for years too, which is why the position had fallen to you"

"How?" She whispered. Because that was what she wanted to know. How did he survive? Why did Grandpa Timothy… should she even call him that anymore? Why did they tell her he had died? Where was he all this time? Why now? So many questions clouded her mind, and although her intuition was fast in keeping up, she didn't have all the answers.

"That, we don't know," Reborn's answer made her deflate in disappointment and irritation, but she couldn't blame him at the moment, because she could feel that the hitman wasn't lying in his words. "Vongola Nono has remained silent and out contact for weeks now. There are suspicions that something occurred to him with Xanxus's sudden appearance. Though nothing has been proven, there are teams investigating the situation while we concentrate on the matter at hand"

He set his cup down, now empty. He levelled her with a serious look, one that let her know that there was no escape in what he was going to tell her.

"With Xanxus revival, it complicates everything. According to the Mafia code, there can only be one candidate"

"What are you asking me, Reborn?" She whispered.

"You and he must fight for the title, to claim it"

"And if I refuse?" There was a hint of desperation in her voice as she stared down at the black eyes looking back at her without warm emotions "If I quit right here, what then?"

"You can't"

"Why?! It's my life, I have the right to surrender if I want!"

"Your father already accepted"

"What?" Her voice broke as the words tumbled out of her mind. She turned to look at Dino with wide eyes, but the blond merely shook his head in silence. She opened her mouth but close it to swallow the bitter words, instead, she turned back to the hitman with an angry expression "He doesn't have any fucking say in the matter!"

"Watch your language" He reprimanded her calmly, not perturbed at all by her sudden outburst.

"No, I'm not!" She stood up with enough force that made her knees hit the table in front of her and for the contents in it to shake. "Why is he forcing me to fight against my will? He hasn't even contacted us since we left Italy. Why now!?"

"Vongola now has two heirs, there must be a battle, Tsuna. It's the way it's done"

"Well fuck them! I'm not doing this!" She shook her head and tried to walk away but Dino held her hand gently. She turned to look at him with a betrayed look that was starting to fill with tears again, she felt used and trapped, she wanted to scream and cry but she knew that the blond wasn't to blame.

"Tsuna. I know you don't want to hear this, but you're underage. He is still your father and with his position… he can claim your lineage for you" He told her carefully, and his hand tugged her slightly to come back to the sofa but she remained standing.

"He can claim the title for himself!"

"He can't. He surrendered any Vongola position when he took oath and charge of the CEDEF" Reborn said.

"And, and what? Because of his greed, I'm supposed to be Vongola's slaughtered pig?!"

"Okay, you need to calm down" Dino stood up and tried to grab her shoulders but she evaded him quickly.

"No, I'm not calming down!" She snatched her hand away from his and backed away with a snarl "He can't fucking force me to do this, I don't want to do this!"

"I know" Dino tried to reassure her with a plea in his face "I know. But it's decided, Tsuna. The Mafia won't let you go now"

"Bullshit!" She yelled and kept backing away until her back hit the window behind her. She shuddered out a breath and turned, choosing to stare at the city and harsh sun than the people inside the room.

She heard Dino sigh in his hand and walk around, moving plates and some furniture in his distressed mind. She was glad he wasn't pressuring her to go back and talk, but the strangest thing was, however, that Reborn hasn't commented or added into the fire as they argued. But she was so thankful at that because if the hitman ever so much as to mock or argue with her, she was going to break down.

Even now, it was hard to keep the tears from falling. She had cried enough a few hours ago, she felt drained and ready to fall asleep at any moment to forget everything. But this, knowing that it was her father that had sold her to the wolves without her knowledge hurt more than any lie.

Their relationship had crumbled that last night in Italy, where they parted with harsh words and pained truths. Him; an angry and miserable father. And her; a broken and dejected 7-year-old girl.

It was the last time she saw or heard of him. If he called, it was when she was at school and her mother decided to never share the news. Though his name did come every once in a while, it was impossible not too, and it was never for too long or very often.

And she knew it saddened her mother greatly, but Tsuna couldn't help it. That man had disappeared from her life and that was the end of the story for them. He didn't have any right to come back and force her to do things against her will. Worse, making her fight someone whom he knew she would never fight.

And the joke through it all was that he shipped her back to Japan to get her away from the Mafia world, yet it was him who was trying to crown her into the underworld.

Hurt, used, betrayed. That's the only emotions that were swirling in her chest, they felt so bad and dirty, she wanted to puke. And her intuition kept chanting, trying to tell her something but at this point, it was all a jumbled mess of whispers. And they were just so loud that she had to clench her eyes tight to will them away.

However, she snapped her eyes back open at the sound of a tiny crack of glass. The sound close enough to make her jump, and she fixed her eyes on the window in front of her, where she could see small lines cracking the window, they were so thin that it was barely visible when the light hit the glass a certain way, but they were there, just like the scar on her fingers.

And then her eyes travelled further down, where her hands had grabbed the window frame. She released it slowly, mindful of the window suddenly shattering but it thankfully didn't happen. So she turned her hands over to see her palms turning red. It was like she had touched something hot and her skin had heated up enough for it to hurt.

Her life felt like a circle, spinning around and around, passing through all her dreams, doubts and regrets and then ending up back getting hurt only to start the process again.

She was stubborn, yes, but she was honest, at least to herself. She knew why she took Reborn's training, in her mind she was never going to become Vongola Decimo, she just needed his teaching and guidance in the underworld to become strong enough to survive on her own. It was never her dream to become a Mafia Boss because she had a more important matter at hand.

And that was the thing, wasn't it? She was so mad at her father and Vongola and everyone for using and betraying her; when she was also doing the same to those around her. Because she needed that strength and power for her own selfish gain.

To find that man… she needed to be powerful enough to stand in the underworld and strong enough to fight for what she desired. And the way things were now, she was never going to survive.

It's why she took the gamble, never once thinking that Xanxus was alive this whole time. And he was going to hate her because for her to accept the training and the position of Vongola Decimo meant betrayal.

"What does it mean?" She asked quietly into the already quiet room "Fighting for the title?"

"Now that you have finished your tantrum," Reborn antagonized her with sarcasm, but so long as he did not tie her up or pointed a gun at her head, she would take his criticism lightly. "Sit"

She took a breath before turning around, hoping her eyes weren't too red or her face wasn't showcasing her bitter emotions.

Dino had sat back down into the sofa and was leaning down while resting his elbows in his knees and chin in his knuckles. He was pensive and quiet, it made her feel really guilty for screaming at him like that.

And while she was busy with her hysterical moment, Reborn had brewed another cup of espresso and was, strangely enough, waiting patiently for her. She walked with caution towards them and sat back on her previous seat, though with her stiff posture she remained over the edge of the sofa in case she needed to run again.

Reborn was busy taking his time in enjoying his coffee, and with all the goodies at the table, she was reminded that all she had eaten in the day was a bag of cookies and a juice box. But hunger can wait, she told herself. Because there was no way she could stomach some food at the moment.

Dino shifted next to her, and she was glad to know that she wasn't the only one being spooked by the hitman's surprisingly calmness. They both waited in agonizing silence until Reborn finished his coffee with a sigh and set the cup down on the table. It was only after he settled back comfortably against his seat that he started to talk.

"By law, both candidates and guardians must fight to claim the right to wield the rings. It all depends on the parties, it could be a fight to subdue or a fight till death. As I have told you, there can only be one candidate. You can try and negotiate, but there must be a winner and a loser. No quitting"

He emphasized the last words to her, knowing that she would try to pull something like that. She bit her lip with a frown and thought of negotiating as her second plan. It doesn't have to be a fight till death, that was never going to happen, they will never do that to her… right? If she spoke with Xanxus, maybe they can come into an agreement without the need for drawing blood.

Her intuition hummed sadly because no, any chances she could get at talking with Xanxus were going to be spent with screams on both parts. Seeing as she wasn't going to fuss or shout again, the hitman continued by jumping towards the table and reaching for the box.

"Early today, a member of CEDFE came to Japan as a diversion, carrying fake rings to attract the attention of Vongola's Assassination Squad away from the real ones." He said as he opened the lid of the box under her watchful eyes "They were delivered by an external party to avoid further suspicion while Nono remains MIA"

Inside the box, resting on a soft red velvet fabric were 6 small rings in a circle formation, surrounding the gem that was in the middle, as if protecting it. She had never cared for jewellery, not girly stuff or the expensive-looking ones, but right here and now, she couldn't get her eyes to look away from it.

"This is the real Vongola Ring. And until you formally claim it on the day of the fight, it's yours"

Reborn pushed the box closer to her, but she was already gone the moment the lid opened to reveal the cursed object. It was like opening Pandora's box, because the moment the rings were revealed, Tsuna could feel the power and death they carried.

Her eyes stared at it, gleaming and unseeing anything else but the silver items, or rather, the one that commanded her ultimate attention.

The Ring.

It was like a cacophony had exploded inside her head, with voices whispering low and loudly at the same time, some howling and some crying. She couldn't understand what they were saying, not when they were all mixing together in a discordant sound. But she didn't need them, she didn't need to listen to her intuition to feel the urge to reach out and claim the cursed object.

She could hear the calling against the sea of crackling fire, like a haunting siren song, enhancing her to its will.

Slowly, so very slowly, she reached out to touch the gleaming sapphire of the ring. It was smooth and cold, but it ignited a spark inside of her. And she knew that this Ring must belong to her. The whispers agreed with her, because they screamed in euphoria and pleasure, urging her to bond herself to the Will it carried.

She wasn't aware that she had taken the ring out of the box, it was only when the cold silver caressed her skin as she slid the ring into her finger did she realise that the chanting that had been raging in her head disappeared with a sudden snap.

"Ah"

Both males in the room turned to see her when she breathed out a quiet gasp. When Reborn had pushed the box towards the brunette and she remained silently staring at them, they chose to let her be. It wasn't like the hitman was going to forcefully place the ring in her hand when he knew the brunette was on a ticking clock of exploding.

So the hitman had walked over to Dino to run over the details of the next following days. The guardians must be trained before the battle, and the blond Italian was going to become a teacher of a sort for one of them, if only because they needed someone to control the violent cloud into an agreement, and what better opportunity than a clumsy Sky Boss.

Dino was already starting to argue with Reborn against that idea, so they weren't aware that the brunette had moved. It was only when her voice broke in the atmosphere of the room like a tiny firecracker that they turned to see her sitting still on the sofa, wielding the Vongola Ring on her finger and with orange eyes staring down at it like it was the source of all of her answers.

"Tsuna?" Dino asked quietly, a bit perturbed by the faraway look on her face but the brunette merely tilted her head to the side.

"It's quiet"

For the first time in months, there were no whispers in her head.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Out of everyone else, it was Gokudera who understood the risk of being a guardian to a Sky.

When he was little, back when he was just a runt working with many nameless groups in the mafia streets and trying to make something of himself in that world, he always heard stories about serving under a Sky. He heard about how much fortune, status and power it brought. How it made you fearless and ignited a protectiveness flare to the one you swore your loyalty.

Having a Sky guaranteed you a family in the dark world. Bonding with one… it gives you a home.

So when Reborn, the number one hitman, asked for him to travel to Japan and test the future Vongola Decimo, a Sky in the training, for a potential guardian bond, he didn't think twice in leaving his old life behind to start a new one.

A Sky is meant to be compassionate, open and welcoming. It is meant to accept all your flaws and give you a reason in life. And Tsuna was all that and beyond. She never judged or forced someone to go against their will, never asked for explanations and always listened when there was trouble, helping despite her anxiety.

And that's why she was so charming and alluring, because she wasn't perfect.

When you think of a Sky; a Mafia boss, you think of someone powerful, someone big and emotionless, heading straight into battle without an ounce of hesitation, leading and winning without questioning. Some might find it disappointing if your future boss didn't reach that ideal, because really who would follow someone who refused to lead and second-guessed their own actions?

Well, that someone was him.

Maybe he came to Japan with the promise of bonding with a Sky and securing himself a position in the mafia world, but when he saw her, all jittery and clumsy and raw and pure, he wanted that. He swore his loyalty when she saw past his insecurities and took an oath to protect her when she asked for a friend instead of a subordinate.

He was instantly drawn to her clumsy nature and her quirkiness.

But when he felt her Sky flames unleash; calling and clawing, he knew not even death could part him from her.

And that was the thing.

When people talk about a Sky, all they say is how powerful they are and how extraordinary they will make you feel if they claim you as their guardian.

They never mention the danger behind them, the drug their flames created and the cruelty they can be capable of. Because even if you swore loyalty, a Sky was still able to hurt you. Even if you swore to protect them, they could still break you. Unconsciously or not, a Sky can reject a guardian bond, and that pain was worse than death.

So while Yamamoto had returned home with his own clouded mind, he had raged and squeezed all the answers Shamal had known about the situation and what he had implied with his last comment about the Sky not needing its guardians.

The answer was so simple, even he himself knew it but was blindly ignoring it in favour of his own foolish beliefs.

The doctor didn't know all the details, only that something big was happening within Vongola and that a confrontation was going to happen soon to decide the fate of the brunette. A battle of Wills, he called it. One where the girl must fight alongside her guardians to claim the right to become Vongola Decimo.

Gokudera already knew what he was getting himself into when he accepted to become her right-hand man. He was ready to fight for her regardless of anything. So when the doctor questioned his intentions, he got mad.

_ Will you fight for her? _

Of course he will fight for her! What a stupid question, he had exclaimed angrily at the indignation he felt to have his resolve questioned like that. It didn't matter if it was a school bully or a hitman, he was going to be there every step of the way.

Even if it hurt, because  _ she might not want you too. _

Gokudera understood what Shamal had implied, even if he didn't want to. Because he has seen it happen.

He knew the girl he had pledged loyalty to didn't want the title of Mafia boss. She didn't want people fighting in her name or getting any closer than her own walls allowed. She pushed people away when they wanted to be friends, she was hurting on her own despite people being worried for her and never asked for help when she truly needed it.

She didn't want to create a guardian bond.

And it scares him and makes him doubt in himself because if he wasn't a guardian to her, then where did that leave him?

**.**

**.**

**.**

Ryohei's life was simple.

He woke up, went for a run, then to school. Later he spent the whole afternoon in his boxing club and returned home late for dinner and sleep. Days were only exciting when he had competitions, otherwise they were dull and repetitive.

It was the main reason why he tried to look for fights outside the competitions.

It wasn't like he was a delinquent or that he wanted to beat people. That was wrong. But fighting with someone different made him feel a thrill in his boring day, it ignited an energy that pumped his adrenaline to the point of exhilaration. It made him feel like an adrenaline junkie, though he had never tasted something that could get him addicted, he couldn't resist going back to a fight.

And it was even better when those people deserved it. Hibari was already beating people who crossed the line and disturbed the peace, so he felt gratification when he put bullies or even some thugs in place. But this activity started leaving marks that he tried to cover as boxing casualties. His parents questioned it and told him to be more careful, and he was. He became better at treating and hiding his injuries and fighting someplace far away from home.

But then Kyoko found out and it broke her heart.

With tears, she begged him to stop and he swore that he would never do anything to hurt his precious sister again.

He was back to his monotone life, taking solace in his club and morning jogs. He tried doing other things, but he was too hyperactive for learning how to play an instrument and too loud to sit in a class where you had to be quiet to concentrate. He really thought his life would carry on like that.

But then he met a tiny brunette, and everything changed.

They made a deal.

She was involved in something, and although she was close to Hibari despite how odd it looked, she knew he wasn't always going to be around. She needed someone to be on the lookout for any disturbance surrounding her and muscles in case a fight broke out.

So when the time came when strangers started to follow her, he attacked. When bullies at school started tormenting her, he defended her. The little brunette was the cause of many disputes around town, and he was glad to help her. And because Kyoko took a liking to the girl, it also put her at risk of being targeted so he became stronger and more protective towards them.

And life has gone on like that.

Five years ago, she gave him the freedom to do what he wanted, let him get in fights while covering for him in case Kyoko suspected anything. And all he needed to do was give his loyalty to her when she needed his aid in a fight.

It already happened, and he landed himself in the hospital. But he took his loss as an opportunity to grow and get stronger to be ready for the next time. Because he knew it would come, it's why the brunette had reminded him of their deal when she visited him in the hospital. To others it might seem selfish, Kyoko will surely be heartbroken that her two close people were acting behind her back, but to them, it was a beneficial trade.

So he took his time to heal and learn new moves, he tried different combos and increased his stamina too. He also took some first aid courses to keep any further injuries treated and hidden.

He was almost buzzing in excitement, but he knew it was just a matter of waiting.

And then it finally happened, one week after summer vacation.

He was an easily surprised person, having never left Japan and not being up to date with other cultures caused some cultural shock every once in a while when he learned something new or different. But when he first met Reborn, he could instantly recognize a stronger teacher that demanded your respect. He never once questioned his age or size, with just one look, he knew that baby could instantly defeat him.

He tried to ask him for his teachings, but he declined because he was already stuck with the brunette. He was a bit bummed but seeing how much the girl had changed and improved under his tutelage was really satisfying. And it should have been alarming, but he never once questioned why the brunette could suddenly turn herself on fire.

It was like it was something that was meant to be.

So one Saturday afternoon, when a baby dressed as a soldier, carrying a rifle in his back and letting a huge white bird rest on his head knocked on his window, he let him in without questioning as if the sky had sent him a messenger to answer his prayers.

"Congratulations Sun guardian, you've been chosen to participate under my hell training" The baby had proudly said as if that feat was something great and important to look up to.

"I don't know what extremely is going on, but I'm in!" All he knew was that this had something to do with the brunette, and she was offering him another pass in his boring life. His response made the baby grin at him with eyes promising arduous training.

"That's the spirit, kora!"

**.**

**.**

**.**

If there is one thing Hibari Kyoya hated the most, was having Namimori's peace disturbed.

And when that whacko attacked in plain daylight with a sword and ruined his plans, not only did he cause panic in the streets and created a few car accidents, but he also upset the already unstable brunette.

His attacks were blocked and intercepted with a flourish of moves and heavy defence. It annoyed him how he couldn't even land a hit to the swordsman. He was clearly a master on his technique and had experience in battle. It only made him want to bite him to death even more.

But seeing as the brunette had escaped with a box, the shark looking man retreated. He pursued him as fast as he could, but he lost sight of him when the man had the nerve to slice a utility pole and threw it at him with cables and all.

He managed to dodge and it was in that second when he jumped away that the swordsman disappeared. He huffed angrily while he called for some electricians herbivores to come and fix it soon before some walking idiots got hurt.

So seeing as he lost his person of interest he took the boy for questioning.

He was obviously foreign; speaking old Japanese, a bad one too. It was giving him a headache, even more so when the boy started to cry because he had 'failed his mission'. This mission being, of course, trying to keep the box away from the swordsman.

And now the brunette had it.

And by her horror-stricken expression that had crossed her face before the explosion had occurred and her knowing who the attacker was, it was just a spell for disaster.

So he left the boy with Kusakabe and went out to patrol.

In times like this, it was ridiculous how he didn't have her phone number. He didn't know where she was no matter how much he stalked the streets in search of any other prey daring to cross his path. He knew she wouldn't go home, that was stupid and she was a paranoid little animal. So her whereabouts were a mystery. Maybe he will ask for her number after he finds her, he thought grumpily.

He was sure that whatever was coming to Namimori had to do with the girl, and by her troubled expression, it was something bad. Mafia, if he had to put a name to it.

Things had been surprisingly calm all summer, he had been waiting for another opponent since that cheap trickster thought it might be fun to try his witchcraft on Namimori's citizens. Well to some of them, a few were foreigners. But the matter was that the heat and slow pace of the city was driving him crazy for a good fight.

And there was so much entertainment he could find on the good days in the streets.

But this, this was bigger than foolish tugs and drunkards, bigger than the yakuza and that illusionist.

Something big was looming over them.

He can already taste the blood and rage in the air.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Night had fallen.

Tsuna had chosen to remain with Dino instead of going home. She had reasoned with Reborn that someone from the Varia saw her taking the rings and running away with Dino, so they might be searching for her and she was **not** going to put her mother in danger. The blond Italian had also added that perhaps it was best to return the next day when people were out in the streets and it was easy blending in with them.

The hitman was suspicious, but he did have to agree with that. It would be troublesome if someone were to follow the girl home or worse, attack her in the middle of the night. And although he can take them on easily, he was forbidden to interfere in this matter, in all matters concerning Vongola Decimo as a matter of fact. And in the state the girl was, she was by no means ready for a confrontation.

So yes, it was best to let the hunt die for tonight.

Dino had made the brunette finally eat a sandwich, but that was all she had for the rest of the day. And when he tried to force her to eat more she threatened to puke in the carpet under her hyper intuition influence. And to Reborn, that was a worrisome double edge sword.

He knew how acute the Vongola intuition could be, he has seen Tsuna act on it without knowing and actually listening to it. But it didn't stop at that, because it had developed into Hyper Intuition, making her know unforeseen things before she even thinks about them. It was a perfect weapon to survive in the Mafia, but it all depended on how she uses it. Because when she claims something that her intuition told her, it was a given that it was the truth. Which is why it was tricky because anything she says could also be a lie.

And she was good at that.

When Dino finally stopped pestering her to eat more, they left the girl sitting on the sofa for hours, alone with her own thoughts. She didn't move or utter a word, just sat there like a doll, fidgeting with the ring in her finger and tilting her head every now and then. At least her eyes were normal in colour, they both had thought.

Seeing as there wasn't going to be any more drama, Reborn went out to do some reckoning.

He was sure Shamal might have hinted something to Gokudera and Yamamoto about an upcoming fight, but all the guardians must be notified and present for the battle. All of them, which means they were lacking one.

Tsuna had already claimed a Mist guardian, unknowingly or not. But even if Nono were to give the official statement, there was no way for Vindice to release Mukuro. That was a pressing matter that needed to be addressed, that and preparing the guardians for their roles in the upcoming battle.

Colonnello had arrived not too long ago with the Vongola Rings and the classified information that Nono was indeed MIA, and that CEDEF and some inner Vongola members were taking precaution in investigating. But until then, things had to move fast in their end in case a war breaks out. He kicked the idiot to train the sun guardian instead, not wanting him to meet Tsuna in the state she was in.

He was also aware that the CEDEF member that had come here was in the custody of Hibari, so he wasn't all that worried for the boy. And he was sure the bloody thirsty boy would stalk the city searching for the Varia, so they had a few hours of peace.

Dino for his part was worried sick. After Tsuna's breakdown, he was just waiting for her to fall asleep so that she could rest. But it seemed she had no plans whatsoever of doing that, too busy staring at nothing and being trapped inside her head.

He had to gently coax her to at least change into something comfortable, in case she fell asleep on the couch if she wasn't going to move from there. By the time the sun had set, she finally agreed and went to change in the bathroom. There was luckily another spare toothbrush so she took her time in getting ready for the night.

When she came out, she was wearing an oversized pajama shirt and pants that she had to roll up to her knees so that they wouldn't fall and made her stumble.

She left what she acquired at the hospital inside her hoodie, which she folded into a ball and placed on the sofa. And as she walked by, she grabbed Dino's jacket, which was discarded over the cushions and wrapped it around her shoulders, because her body had remained chilled since she stepped out from the bathtub and was looking for a source of warmth.

Seeing as Dino was busy talking on the phone while Romario held some papers next to him, she pulled the furred hood over her head and stepped into the small balcony the suite provided.

The summer night air nipped her skin as a welcome, it reminded her how cold she has been feeling lately. No matter how many warm baths she takes or jackets she wore, there was an unmistakable shiver lingering in her skin.

Maybe she should wear the mittens every day too, seeing as her hands were the most affected. She cupped her hands up and blew gently on them to warm them up as an apology for their recent treatment. She didn't understand what was happening, but her body was breaking. Little by little, and she was running out of time to fix it.

She sighed and looked at the city with empty eyes.

The world was so silent now that the voices had shut up. She couldn't say if it was for the better or for the worse because now that she was back in control of her mind, she could hear herself think without anything stepping in to change her thoughts. But her thoughts were rather depressing at the moment so it was really scary being locked up in that stillness.

And as if listening to her, there was a low humming in her core, one that made her tilt her head to listen. Just because the whispers were quiet didn't mean that her intuition had been silenced. It was still there, awake and more in tune with her Will. And it was telling her that there was someone else in here, watching. But it wasn't screaming in danger, it felt more like a dull ache of longing. Happy and sadness raging like a storm on a summer night.

She wasn't going to get physically hurt, but she was going to end the night in tears. That, she knew. So she prepared herself to face heartbreak as there was movement behind her.

"What's with the sad face,  _ principessa?" _

Yet the uncanny and elated feeling it brought was a welcoming surprise as she gasped at the voice that called her with a hint of amusement.

She turned around to see him, only to have her breath taken away when she felt something brush softly against her lips.

It was so unexpected and gone by the time she blinked, like a faraway memory in a faraway dream. But he was still there, holding her face in a tender way despite the blood that his hands carried.

"Bel…"

She whispered, eyes taking in the boy in front of her. He was taller, he has always been taller than her but now it seemed more noticeable. He still had that bowl cut hair with the silver tiara resting on the side of his head and his lips still stretched like a Cheshire cat as he grinned down at her.

"Shishishi, what's with the look? You look like you have seen a ghost" He laughed and she could feel tears of happiness stinging in her eyes as a bubble of laughter broke past her lips.

"It's really you!" She had to stand on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and being close to him brought a sense of comfort that she has been longing for. She missed her friend so much and wanted to see him because last time they met…. Last time... it was best not to remember that day if she was going to be triggered every time someone from her past showed up.

Knowing that Squalo was here meant that everyone else was too, and she wanted to save all her energy and mental strength for her inevitable meeting with Xanxus and the reveal of the ring battle.

She was too busy rejoicing and pushing back any bad feelings that she didn't realize the boy did not return her affection.

"I missed you. Why didn't you tell me you were coming? Why didn't you call me? Why didn't you tell me-

He stopped her talking when he stepped back to grab one of her hands and brought it up so that he could plant a kiss on her knuckles under her incredulous stare.

"So the loud shark was right after all," He murmured, his grin becoming less pleased and more sharper in the edges as he spat a word that echoed in her heart. "You traitor"

"W-What?" She stumbled as if struck by lightning, her eyes widened in shock and hurt at the harsh accusation. But Bel merely stroked her hand to answer her distress and it was there that she realized that she was still wearing the Vongola Ring. "No, no, it's not what it looks like"

"You lied to the prince and everyone!"

"Listen to me! It's not like that! I don't want to be part of this!"

"Traitor!"

"I'm not a traitor!"

Her yell had caught the attention of the people inside the room, and she could already see Dino panicking and rushing towards them. But Bel had no intentions of staying any longer, for he let her go and moved towards the edge of the balcony.

"You will pay for betraying the Varia, shishishi. Boss will have no mercy on you"

Dino opened the door just in time as the Varia member jumped over the railing. He frowned, having heard the last part, he knew that those words had hurt the brunette badly. He walked slowly towards her, his arms reaching in a desire to pull her in a hug, but he didn't. In the end, he opened an arm invitingly, letting her decide instead of forcing her.

Tsuna stood there, shaking and staring at where Belphegor had disappeared. She knew it was going to be bad, but despite knowing how much it will hurt, she was never going to be prepared to actually feel her heart break. A rebel sob escaped her lips, and she turned into Dino's waiting arms and let him pet her head comfortingly.

"H-He hates me. They all... "

"Tsuna I swear I didn't know. Vongola kept his disappearance under wraps. I lost contact with Squalo after that…"

"What am I going to do?" She cried and Dino couldn't give her the answer she wanted, so he hugged her tight.

**.**

**.**

**.**

She didn't go home until the sun was setting on the next day.

She didn't sleep any wink at night, too busy being tormented by what if's and interrogation her intuition for any possible outcome. Reborn had returned before midnight, and after seeing her dishevelled appearance he kept threatening her to go to sleep. And she wanted too, her body felt so heavy and her mind so tired, she wanted nothing more than to fade away and forget everything. But just as she was about to surrender to the dark, a thought suddenly occurred to her.

"You said guardians. Why are there 6 rings?"

And so came the explanation of the Sky guardians and their role in the Mafia and the upcoming battle.

They were not surprised whatsoever when the brunette raged and became hysterical again, arguing and screaming that she was not going to drag civilians into this matter. That she was not going to allow them to fight for the stupid rings and the title.

When morning came, she had lost her voice by how much she yelled and knocked herself out by crying herself to sleep. Reborn was too tempted to shoot a tranquiliser dart at her, but Leon betrayed him once again by climbing towards the brunette's neck and curling there to keep her company.

When she had no more tears or curses to shout, her body finally shut down by all the stress and emotional breakdown it experienced in a short period of time. It was lucky that she was already lying down on the bed because if she had fainted on the floor, neither would have moved her in fear of waking her up. Even Romario had to stay next to his boss so that he wouldn't trip or stumble over furniture.

When the brunette finally woke up, it was Sunday, 4 pm. And it was to a bad headache, a throbbing in her eyes, a pain in her shoulders and an aching in her heart. She felt miserable, and she looked it too. Her hair was a mess and her bloodshot eyes were being pillowed by a dark shade under her lashes.

It wasn't healthy at all, worse when all she had for lunch was a few bites of milky bread. Dino didn't want to part from her, too worried to even let her be out of his sight. But the brunette needed to go home, and she and Reborn needed to discuss what was going to happen in depts.

So with a heavy heart, they drove one street away from the brunette's house, taking their time getting there so as to not grab suspicion in case someone was trailing them. Dino didn't mention the surprised guest they had last night, it was bad considering how easily they found the girl, but he knew that if he said something now, more questions would arise and neither of them was ready to dig into that territory with the hitman.

Romario parked the car and Dino followed the brunette out if only to give her one last hug. They will see each other again, but just like Reborn, he couldn't interfere in the matter. She was going to be all on her own if she kept rejecting her guardians. And now more than ever, she was going to need them.

She walked home with Reborn on her shoulder, feeling a heavy weight settle in her as she approached her house. She had taken a shower and did her best to look presentable before coming here, if only not to alarm her mother by her sick appearance. She wanted to pretend she did a good job when her mother met her at the door and hugged her tight.

"Tsuna-chan, I was so worried when you didn't come home. Why didn't you contact me?"

"Sorry mom, I just needed some time alone"

"Are you okay?" She brought a hand to her face and looked her all over, searching for any injuries or a source of hurting, but her mother couldn't possibly look into her breaking heart. And knowing that she made her mother worried sick by not contacting her sent a pang of guilt into her already fragile mind.

"Y-yeah. Sorry, I'm not hungry, so I'm gonna go and sleep. I'm sorry for worrying you, mom"

She stepped away from the embrace and gave her mother a tiny smile before walking towards her room.

Her mother watched her go with pain and concern, and it was only after the young brunette disappeared up the stairs did she bring a hand to her face.

"Oh Tsuna, what happened?"

**.**

**.**

**.**

"That could have gone better"

"Not in the mood Reborn"

As soon as they arrived at her room, Tsuna started gathering a fresh set of clothes and other necessities, wanting to take another warm bath before going to sleep to soothe her nerves. The hitman had jumped towards his hammock and watched her pace around her room. An intervention needs to happen, the girl couldn't go on like that. No matter how much she cried, she was just wasting herself because things wouldn't change.

"You need to settle your emotions, Dame-Tsuna"

"I'm not in the mood, Reborn!" She snaps at him before rushing towards the bathroom.

And he froze by her action, not because of her yelling because he has been on the receiving end of her yells for the past few days, but because of her eyes. They were bleeding orange in colour despite no flame being active, and they were dull and tearful.

He wanted to pinch the bridge of his nose or hit the brunette with a mallet because he did not sign up to deal with an emotional teenager.

He will give her the night, he decided. Let her rest and then he could torture her for daring to scream at him. The kids barged into the room a few minutes later looking for the brunette, but he shooed them before they decided to make camp. He settled in his hammock and started drawing a plan and training regime for the upcoming battle.

Tsuna returned an hour later and went straight to her bed. They did not speak or move from their respective places, both too busy being inside their own thoughts. And so the night went on, the brunette had dozed off quickly, being emotionally drained. And after an hour of silence, Reborn deemed it safe to sleep too.

He had closed his eyes for just 5 minutes when Tsuna suddenly sprang up from her bed with a pained gasp and ran towards the bathroom where she proceeded to throw up, and having eaten nothing during the day made it all more painful.

Reborn was at her side in a second and patted her back gently. It seemed like her body couldn't stand the strain any longer and she was hurting to the point of being sick. Tsuna had tears rolling down her eyes as she sobbed after emptying her already empty stomach. The hitman could only watch her suffer, with his Arcobaleno body, he couldn't do much to help her.

Luckily, Nana and Bianchi appeared and rushed towards her side. Together, they helped the brunette walk towards her bed and took action. Changing her clothes, taking her temperature and giving her some water to wash her mouth.

She was running a high fever, so bad they had to place a bag of ice on her head, but her shivering rocked her body badly and gave her no rest. She needed to eat something so that she could take some medicine, but her stomach was sensitive and she returned the miso soup she tried to eat.

All they could do now was try to cool down the fever and hush her every time she tried to get up because she was delirious, she kept muttering about superheroes with guns and needing to run because there was a ghost standing next to her bed.

It was a long night in the Sawada household.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Shamal had been called first thing in the morning.

With a bite of his mosquitos, the fever had broken down immensely. Tsuna still felt weak and tired when she woke up, but it was enough for her to stomach some food. She wasn't going to go to school though, her mother hadn't let her get up unless it was to go to the bathroom, so she was stuck in bed.

And she wasn't the only one. Bianchi had been practically bullied by both her mother and Reborn to go back to sleep as soon as the brunette woke up. Tsuna really appreciated all the effort they did for her but felt guilty for keeping everyone up. She only wished that her mother could get some rest too, but she was adamant on taking care of her, even with Reborn and Shamal around.

"Thanks, Mom." She said quietly as she grabbed a wooden cup with hot tea in it. Her mother really wasn't taking any chances in case glass or ceramics broke in her hand again.

"Get some rest, Tsuna-chan, I'll call the school to let them know that you are sick" She kissed her head and went downstairs when the doorbell rang. It must be the guys, she thought as she blew softly over the cup to cool it down. Shamal was downstairs entertaining the kids so that they wouldn't cause a ruckus. Her symptoms weren't contagious, but she needed rest and being around kids with endless energy was out of the option.

But they had slipped a 'get well' wishing card through her door and it really warmed her heart a little.

"How are you feeling?" Reborn asked, standing over the window to keep watch.

"Horrible"

"You look horrible"

"Sorry for yelling at you" She grimaced, feeling ashamed and embarrassed by how she acted. Though yesterday and the day before felt more like a fading dream, she still remembers pieces that made her cringe and want to hide forever. And Bel. She remembers him and how he stole her first kiss and called her a traitor. He was so mean! She was so going to kick his shin so that he could lean down so that she could punch him the next time they met. Heartbreak be damned.

"Rest, Dame-Tsuna, you will be more useless if you are sick"

His words carried a certain heaviness in them, and she just knew that today was going to be the day she faces her past. Sighing tiredly, she took a sip of her now lukewarm tea, and she almost choked when she saw two boys walking through her door because her intuition didn't even let her know!

"Juudaime" Gokudera greeted her with a worried frown and went to sit on the chair next to her bed while Yamamoto made some space for himself on the floor, carrying a bowl of gelatine.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, confused by their presence.

"Your mom lets us in"

"We'll stand guard for you and let your mother rest, I apologize for the intrusion." Gokudera said with a little bow, not wanting to intrude but also wanting to help. And Tsuna was really grateful for their action.

"Thank you" She smiled weakly at them "But school?"

"It'll be our first school absence" Yamamoto waved it off casually, not really minding that he was going to skip classes so early in the year.

_ They were going to skip a lot more, _ her intuition told her. And she had to bite another sigh as she blew over her tea.

"How come you got sick?" The ex-baseball player asked. The jello he was carrying was probably for her, but Tsuna didn't find it any appetizing.

"Stress, I guess" She muttered behind the cup.

"Juudaime…" Gokudera shifted a little so that he could face her, but Tsuna couldn't meet their eyes.

"Will they come?" She asked the hitman instead, whose ever present shadow had never left the room.

"It's the way it's done"

She sighed out loud this time, not being able to hold it back and set her cup down on her lap. She debated on how to break the news, knowing that now that they were here, it was to stay.

"There's going to be a battle..."

"I'm in"

"Please, don't" She begged, feeling sad and bothered by how fast they agreed despite not knowing the details of what they were getting into.

"Juudaime," Gokudera said softly, somehow knowing what she was feeling "You might not want us to fight for you. But we'll still fight with you"

She wanted to smile, but her lips curled into a sad grimace because it felt like she was robbing them of their freedom.

"I'm sorry"

"Don't worry, Tsuna. We're in this together"

"For now, Juudaime should rest to gain some strength"

She handed her empty cup to the Italian boy, who gladly took it to put it over the small table, and went back to lie down on her bed.

"Say, can I..." Yamamoto tried to ask while raising the bowl of jello.

"You can have it" She giggled a little, which gained her a smile from him.

"Bastard, you can't just go and steal Juudaime's food! She needs it!"

"She doesn't like jello! I'm saving her"

They argued for a while, though their voice level was quieter and there wasn't much bite in their words. It was normal and calming, so she didn't feel herself doze off until a hand gently shook her shoulder. She blinked with a startle, only to be hushed softly by her mother, who was accompanied by Shamal.

The guys were gone, though she was sure they were somewhere inside the house. She felt a bit groggy from waking up, but let the doctor do a check-up while she stared at the window, noting with a heavy heart that the sun was starting to set.

"Well, your fever is gone," Shamal said "Drink lots of liquid and don't strain your body. Also, if it's not too cold, use some cool compressors to lower your body temperature if you're feeling hot and dizzy"

"Thanks for coming, Dr Shamal'' Shamal was a bit flustered by her mother's kind nature, but Tsuna was glad the pervert hobo hadn't tried anything funny on her mother. She knew Shamal wanted to say something else, but not in the presence of her mother, which was conflicting because the woman didn't leave them alone. It will simply have to wait...

As her mother walked him out, Tsuna finally got up from bed to stretch her legs. She should probably take another bath and try to delay the inevitable for as long as she could. It was too bad her fever disappeared at the moment she needed an excuse to stay home.

"I'm clear" She said as soon as the guys walked back in.

"That was fast! The school nurse must really be magical"

"Idiot"

"Baka-Tsuna!" Now that she was out of bed it meant that she was out of danger for the kids to approach her. Ipin and Fuuta remained a step behind as Lambo launched himself to hug her legs, and she would have fallen if it weren't for Gokudera holding her. "Are you okay? Are you going to die? You can't, you have to buy me sweets!"

"Lambo! Stop!" Ipin tried to pry the boy from her but he was holding her tight in fear of her just disappearing.

"It's alright, sorry for worrying you all"

"Nee-chan, are you alright? I did a ranking. You didn't rank high in getting a summer fever" Fuuta bit his lips in worry, whether because he used his ranking powers or because of what he found.

"I'm fine, I promise." She smiled at him and patted Lambo's hair so that he would let go and turned to see the others "You guys should probably go now."

"We can go-

"It's fine. I'm going to take a shower, I'll see you guys later" She quickly cut him off, giving him an apologetic smile that Gokudera understood immediately. If the kids found out that the brunette would have to sneak away at night after she just recovered from a sudden fever, many bad things could happen and it was best not to take any chances. Yamamoto, bless the idiot, thought the same and cheerfully waved at them as they walked out of the house, not before saying goodbye to Nana; who gratefully thanked them for watching over her daughter.

He and the baseball idiot hadn't spoken about their own thoughts and conflicts regarding the battle, but he knew the boy would follow regardless of the danger. It was a pitiful sight, really. One that he kept quiet because out of everyone, it was the idiot who would suffer the most if he went along with this.

"We'll go at midnight. Meet your boss one street away. Don't be late" Reborn told them as he saw them off. He had briefly explained them of a battle to claim the rings and title, but he didn't say when it would happen or whom they were facing.

"Yes, sir"

All they could do was wait for the storm to unleash.

**.**

**.**

**.**

Tsuna sat on her bed, staring down at the Vongola Ring in her finger.

She felt like she lost time since she put it on. The days had gone by in a blur and she suddenly found herself awake in a moment she didn't want to be. It felt cursed, but at the same time, it was like a blessing. Because she could feel something in her just fall into place.

The Ring was hers, it's what her intuition was telling her. But in her heart, she knew she couldn't keep it.

"Leon," She called him quietly as the little chameleon climbed to her shoulder. "I think I'm going to need a bullet"

He blinked at her, and it took a minute for him to spit a familiar red bullet that she quickly hid in her pocket. Reborn carried a pack with them, but he wasn't going to use them on her, at least not tonight. She wasn't worried that the chameleon would go back to the hitman because he has taken a liking of staying with her. She just wished that it was enough.

The hitman had gone out to make sure the coast was clear now that it was nighttime and everyone was asleep. She will have to sneak out of her house and return in time before her mother wakes up or someone realizes she's gone. It should be simple, but it was nerve-wracking.

"Dame-Tsuna"

"Do I have to?"

"The quicker the better, don't be slow. Come on" He jumped on her shoulder, and that was her cue to move. She took a huge breath to calm her nerves, and slowly, she started to make her way out of her room in her socks.

They had left the door to the backyard open so that they could leave through there instead of unlocking the front door and risk the sound waking someone. She tugged her sneakers on before walking through the small hallway that connected the back garden with the front one. The final step was to just jump over the gate and she felt horrible for doing this to her mother, but as Reborn had said, the quicker this was done, the better.

They didn't have to walk long to meet up with Gokudera and Yamamoto, who were already waiting for her.

"Juudaime"

"Hey"

"I have never sneaked out before. This is kind of exciting, have you guys done this before?" Yamamoto asked in the quiet streets, probably trying to break the tense atmosphere that enclosed them.

"I have. And it never is." She muttered as she tugged the hood from her hoodie up to protect her ears and face from the night breeze. Even though her fever was gone, her body had remained cold and with her stress sinking into her bones, she didn't want to risk another illness. At Yamamoto's curious state, she shrugged her shoulders, making Reborn shift at the movement. "You can blame Kyoya for that"

"Oh, so it is Kyoya" The boy teased her with a mischievous smile that she completely ignored.

"Please, shut up"

"Stop antagonizing her, idiot"

"Sorry, sorry"

They didn't know where they were going, Reborn was silently tugging at her hair to make a turn every now and then, but their final destination remained unknown. Namimori's streets were dark and quiet; their only illumination provided was that from the streetlights for the clouds had deemed it appropriate to hide the moon.

"We're here" Tsuna stopped at Reborn's announcement and then he jumped from her shoulder to stand over a small garden wall.

"Who else is coming?" She asked as she surveyed the area. They were in an abandoned street by the looks of it. No one seemed to be living in the houses behind them, and in front of them was just a vast dark forest where the light barely reached it.

"They should be here soon" Were his obnoxious words and not five minutes later, she felt a shiver down her spine.

"Oh shit"

"Little animal"

"Kyoya," She grimaced as she turned to see him stalk with an angry frown on his face and she was reminded that she practically stood him up for three days. "I don't have your number"

"You skipped school. All of you are going to be bitten to death" He snarled angrily at the three of them and raised his tonfas for a fight, and although Yamamoto tried to calm him down with apologies and Gokudera raised some dynamite to confront him, it was a hand on his shoulder that made him change his mind.

"Let's leave the fight for later, yeah? First, we need to meet the carnivores threatening to destroy your peace"

She was baffled to see Dino behind the puffed skylark and how he actually got the violent prefect to lower his weapons. It appears that in their little time together, Dino had learned how to speak Hibari. It was amazing.

"Greetings, Signorina Tsunayuuki. It's the greatest pleasure to meet thou." Behind Dino, came a voice with broken and out-dated Japanese. Straining her eyes to see better under the yellow light, she realized the boy bowing in greeting was the blond boy from the Saturday incident. She felt a bit guilty at forgetting about him, but she was a bit out of her head at that time. "I'm called Basil. An honour to finally meet thy acquaintance"

"Is he trying to speak Japanese?" Yamamoto asked in a whisper, a bit confused.

"Basil is a member of the CEDEF. He's to observe the confrontations as a neutral party" Reborn said but before anyone else could talk, a loud voice yelled from the corner.

"You guys are here too? Extreme reunion!"

"Shut up, idiot. You're too loud!" Gokudera reproaches in a loud hush to Ryohei, who was running towards them while waving. She certainly didn't call him, but his presence was welcomed, knowing that friends surrounded her.

Of course, nothing good could ever last.

**He's coming.**

"Is this a joke?" A rough voice said from behind the trees, making everyone tense and look at the source. Shadows were moving out of the forest, the dim lights were barely able to show how many they were and their appearances. But to Tsuna, the artificial yellow light was enough to show her the crew walking towards them.

She felt her breath stuck in her chest at that sight, she didn't move or utter a word, not even when Dino moved to stand beside her for support. She could only stare at her past coming from the shadows to hunt her.

"You're all just a bunch of brats"

"They are so cute!"

"Say that to my face" Gokudera took a step forward, placing an arm in front of her in a protective manner.

"Shishishi, what a lame circle you got" The unmistakable laugh stuck a cord inside of her. Right, she was going to kick and punch that idiot.

"Who's the fool playing to be Capo?" The tallest of them angrily shouted. "Step forwards, I'll slice you"

"Now, now~ You know you can't fight another element." Said a singsong voice.

"If you want to know, the girl is our enemy" Bel pointed out with a malicious grin, and that was her cue to break the horrid spell and move forwards.

"Hey" She called softly, slowly removing her hood to let her long hair and face be revealed under the night. There was a pause in the world, where the only sound made was the intake of a surprised breath.

"B-Bunny-chan?!"

"Ara, is Baka-Tsuna." She tried not to flinch when Reborn tensed behind her, both at the sight of the other Arcobaleno materializing near the self-proclaimed prince and the sudden realization that the assassination squad knew her.

"What is that demon doing here!?" The tallest one exclaimed, angrily pointing a shaking finger at her.

"The traitor here its our enemy" Bel spat, but she ignored him in favour of looking at the bewildered crew in front of her with what she hoped was a calm expression.

"Levi, Lussuria, Mammon." Her eyes then shifted towards the figure with the white long hair that had been staring at her the whole time "Squalo, you don't look surprised"

"VOOOII! Shut up brat!" And there it was, that familiar yell that was missing from her memories. Perhaps that's the reason why everything seemed so unreal at that time.

"It's Viper" Mammon commented, apparently having changed their name while in her absence.

"Juudaime, you know these bastards?" Gokudera asked carefully, his shoulders tense and his eyes not moving from the threat in front of her.

"Yes..." She admitted. And her word was carried through the wind, leaving an echo to those who truly understand the meaning behind it.

"Bel, how did you know the brat here is the enemy?" Mammon -Viper?- asked as they floated next to him.

"That's because we already had the pleasure to reunite. Isn't that right, _principessa?"_ And he had the nerve to throw her a smirk. That bastard, she was so going to beat him. 

But before she could answer, before anyone else could speak or make a question, there was a loud, husky voice that boomed through the silent forest.

"Shut up. You scums are noisy"

And it was her turn to quietly gasp at the baritone voice and the owner of it as he finally revealed himself from the shadows. Her eyes were immediately glued to his figure, instantly noting the burnt scars branding his face and arms despite the low light around them. He was taller, and broader and frowning with his red eyes scowling at her. Eyes so familiar yet strange to her now.

She walked forwards, never once quivering beneath the harsh glare she thought she would never see again.

"Xanxus"

"Trash"

"I thought you were dead"

"Wouldn't you like that?"

"Very" She frowned, knowing that an amiable conversation was out of the question. Not when everyone was tense and waiting.

"So now you are throwing your lot with them?" He growled lowly, eyes looking down at her hand where a silver glint was shining like a tiny beacon of light. "Little liar"

"I didn't lie"

"Bullshit!" In a second, he had drawn two guns and aimed at her. And she braced herself, staring at him dead-on despite the yells and movements around her as two balls of fire flew towards her that she knew wouldn’t hurt her, not yet.

"Juudaime!" / "Tsuna!" / "Sawada!" They all screamed, but the fire had blazed before they could even move.

Dino had quickly grabbed Gokudera and Hibari the moment Xanxus aimed at the brunette, trusting the girl to survive the show of power from the Varia leader and hoping her heart wasn't breaking. It hurt him to do this, but it was a confrontation that needed to happen between the two leaders with no one else interrupting.

"Boss…" Squalo muttered, staring at the spot where the brunette had remained standing despite the raging fire at her sides, unmoving and unflinching.

"If there is someone here who lied, it's you" She glared at him, voice tight and quiet.

"Lie?" He huffed as if the thought amused him.

"I can prove it to you, right here, right now" She opened her palm, where Leon had climbed and transformed himself into a familiar green gun at her silent call. Without fumbling after having seen Reborn do the action many times, she loaded the red bullet into the gun and unlocked it. The sound was triggering and alarming in the quiet night, but without hesitation she hoisted the gun up, making everyone tense.

They were not prepared whatsoever for the brunette to aim the bullet at her head and to pull the trigger with a loud bang.

"Tsuna!" Dino flinched forwards, hands grasping air as he stared in horror despite knowing what the bullet's true intentions were.

The others weren't so lucky.

Bel's mouth hung open in shock, even Squalo looked greatly disturbed by the action.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Screeched Lussuria in horror.

For a moment it was dead quiet, the night filled with shock and dread at the abrupt action of the brunette, and Dino was just really, really thankful that her friends had seen Reborn shot her in the head many times despite how horrifying it might be, because surely that sight will give them nightmares and many trips to therapy.

The silence lasted 5 seconds before a breathless sigh was heard and then, the fire surrounding the girl extinguished at the sudden wave of power she released when her Will awoke.

They all watched in horror and morbid curiosity as the head of the brunette snapped back down. And slowly, she opened her sunset-coloured eyes, locking her empty gaze into ruby red as a crown of Sky Flames bloomed in her head.

"Didn't see that coming, did you?" She spoke with calmness, numb of any emotions.

"S-s-she has s-sky flames" stuttered Levi stupidly, but by the Varia's faces, they were all thinking the same. Staring at her as if she was a mesmerizing creature they had never seen before, and perhaps she was. After all, she wasn't supposed to wield this power, and yet, here she was.

"I don't care about the title." She said to Xanxus and level him with a harsh glare of her own as her intuition confirmed the inevitable fight between them all. "But if you harm my friends, I will give you war"

"So be it" His lips curled in a satisfied smirk, one that made his intense glare turn darker and intimidating.

"Please wait" A sudden voice called and cut in any further argument, snapping everyone from their tense and anxious states as two women dressed in black and white walked towards them, not perturbed at all by the fire, glares and choked feelings floating in the air.

Reborn had quickly jumped to stand on Tsuna's shoulder as soon as the women arrived, and his presence was a grounding weight for her to anchor herself to reality.

"Who are you?" 

"We're Cervello. Under direct orders from Vongola Nono, we'll observe and judge the fights as a neutral party" One of them said.

"Nono had never mentioned you. Where is your proof?" Reborn asked with suspicion.

"Here it's his signature" The woman from the left unfolded a document and revealed a sky flame signature. She approached them and handed the paper to the hitman, who quickly verified the authenticity of the flame and the words written on it.

"Now that both parties are present, we'll explain the rules." The other woman said, "The fights consist of each element guardian facing against its opponent to claim the other half of the ring"

"Each one of you will have one part, the winner gets to take both parts and form the complete ring"

"Only those worthy will be able to claim it"

"You'll have to fight with your lives for it"

“Subduing it's acceptable too. But both parties must reach that agreement before the battle starts”

They alternated their speech between themselves, and because they were dressed almost the same, their hairstyles were identical and they were hiding their faces through a mask, it was a bit difficult to distinguish who was who at nighttime. But their words for the battle rang loudly for everyone to hear. No one talked or said anything as they explained the rules, so seeing as there was no interruption, they continued with their task.

"I take your silence as an agreement"

"The rings, please" One of them approached Dino, who had been keeping the box with the rings safe. He was a bit wary of them, after all, he hadn't heard of them either, but at Reborn's lack of interference, he handed them the blue box.

Cervello then opened it and under all their stares, they shifted the rings and broke them in half, returning one side to Dino and giving the other one to Squalo.

"I will have to ask you for the ring"

The other woman had walked towards the brunette and raised a hand in front of her expectantly, but Tsuna ignored her. The brunette was just staring at the woman with a dead stare, almost as if daring her to take the ring from her finger herself.

"Tsuna" Reborn shifted in her shoulder, feeling dread because she couldn't lose her head at the worst time possible. Not here, not now.

Thankfully, but slowly, the brunette began fiddling with the silver ring until one half slid from her finger. And to him, it was a bit disconcerting how easily she found the trick to break the ring in two, almost as if she had done that action before.

The Cervello woman took the half that was dropped on her hand and then went to hand it to Xanxus, who had been watching the whole ordeal with a sharp stare.

"You'll be given two days to prepare. Thursday, at 9 pm. at Namimori's school, the guardian battles will begin"

Hibari actually growled at that, and he would have attacked the woman if it weren't for Dino holding him back again. Everyone around him could sympathize with the Cervello; they just signed their death sentence by declaring their school a mafia battleground.

"Will it be a battle royal?" Yamamoto dared to ask, wanting to know how exactly the fight will be so that he could train and be prepared better.

"We'll brief you more information once you're there"

"If one guardian doesn't turn up to the fight, it's an instant loss for them"

"Understood." Reborn said if only to finish this gathering quickly so that he could beat some answers from the brunette.

"Very well then, until then" The Cervello woman nodded at them, and as soon as they came, they were gone, leaving Tsuna's side confused and uneasy. However, the brunette was the first to move, breaking eye contact with Xanxus and turning to walk away.

"Let's go" She said quietly to those around her.

It wasn't an order, to their ears it sounded more like a plea so they followed, leaving behind the Varia with their own thoughts and a 'what the fuck?' just being echoed as they left.

The walk home was a disarray of emotions and each one was coping by the way they know best.

"Man, that was intense" Yamamoto exhaled, shoulders falling from how tense they had been through all the exchange.

"I'm so pumped! We totally need a battle cheer!" Ryohei exclaimed, not bothering to control his voice despite screaming in a neighbourhood at night.

"You're too loud, just shut up!" Gokudera pushed him away, mentally wishing for the older boy to just walk away from them.

"Kyoya, try to see reason. At least you can monitor the fights and make sure the city isn't destroyed" Dino was trying to reason with the angry boy, whose glare had turned darker and was stalking the streets with intent to go back and beat the Varia.

"I shall consult this meeting with my Master, he must immediately know about Cervello's part and Signorina Tsunayuuki's response. I bid you all farewell" Basil then said, trying to escape the chaos around him.

"Hey, wait, do you even know where you are going? Kyoya, don't just leave!" Dino tried to follow him but Kyoya just got tired of being surrounded by people and simply turned to the opposite direction to leave. It was difficult being a babysitter for the blond mafia boss, he also wanted to walk the brunette home but the other two kids needed to be stopped too.

Tsuna just walked in silence through all the commotion, her Sky flames still lit were acting like a candle, guiding them through the night and finding their path home. But they couldn't pretend that she was faring well.

"Juudaime?" Gokudera was the brave one to ask for her, making her stop to turn to face them.

"Go home and rest" She looked at them with her orange eyes "We'll talk tomorrow"

"Extremely good night to y'all!" Ryohei was quick to depart, waving at them with energy despite being so late. He was a responsible boy, his mother educated him well and his instincts as an older brother made him want to walk the brunette home, but he could clearly see the fatigue and wish to be alone. Besides, Mr Reborn was with her, nothing bad could happen with him around so he started to make his way home.

The other two were a bit more worried and reluctant to let her go on her own when she just recovered from a fever, and it showed on their faces because she smiled tiredly at them in understanding. It was such a sad image, they both could agree that that smile wasn't befitting of her at all. But it was a delicate situation, and forcing themselves on her was only going to hurt her more, that they know.

"Juudaime, please text me when you get home" Gokudera pleaded with her, accepting his boss request but also worrying for her safety. He was already planning on sticking around until the message came and to surveil the area in case some Varia members tried to follow them.

"Me too, please" Yamamoto requested a bit desperately, part of him worrying that the girl would refuse that too, but the girl nodded at them both.

"Yeah" She agreed and turned to look at the sky before giving them one last stare "See you later"

With that, she started to walk home in silence with the hitman.

She was expecting hell and lots of threats, but her intuition let her know that she wasn't going to be harmed by him physically, at least not tonight and not by threat. A confrontation was bound to happen, it's just been piling up since their argument at the hospital, and now that another part of her was revealed they were doomed to clash once again.

The sight of her house did little to calm her agony. Seeing Xanxus after thinking of him dead for years, hearing him talk roughly at her and bluntly attacking her for betraying him hurt more than she thought it would. She was expecting more; more fights, more drama, more screams, more tears. But the cold quietness felt more painful.

As they reached her home, and she climbed inside to make her way to the back garden, she felt something inside of her break. She had reached her limit, both in mind and body. It felt like a punch on the gut, one that made her lean down, dry heaving as the Sky flames extinguished and left her body trembling on the ground.

Everything just came crashing in, all her fear and nerves and anxiety clashing with her tired body and emotional mind. It was just too much for her to bear. Without much energy, she just crumbled down. She stayed there on the ground, sitting against the bushes and breathing heavily and clenching her eyes shut to stop the tears forming there from falling. At least there wasn't any blood coming from her nose, she thought dryly but the pain in her head was enough to make up for it.

"Why did you shoot yourself with the HDW bullet?" Reborn asked quietly after a few minutes, sitting beside her and waiting for her to calm down.

"Because I didn't want him to see me cry"

"You lied to me"

"Yeah." she confessed with a sniffle "I lied. But so did everyone else"

Reborn frowned quietly at that, feeling a heavy rock sink into his gut. He knew the girl was a good liar, but to have kept this a secret for so long was alarming. Not even Nono or Iemitsu had mentioned it in their reports or deemed it important enough to comment.

And he could understand the reason why she hid her knowledge of the Mafia and the Varia, and why she was more affected and wounded at being forced by her own father to fight them against her will.

And thinking about it now, he could clue every reaction she previously had regarding this situation.

How surprised she was to be the only heir left when she knew Xanxus was supposedly the last one in line. How against it she was at becoming a boss, knowing that the title didn't belong to her by choice. The way she reacted to the flames, how surprised and in awe she was at wielding the Sky element, having seen them before but never really thinking they belonged to her. He thought about how quiet and pensive she was when he told her how Nono's sons had died.

He had omitted Xanxus' name, for Nono had forbidden talking about it in any official matter. Reborn didn't question his reasoning, thinking that the old man was drowning in grief after losing all of his sons and heirs. He actually didn't thought much about who would inherit Vongola; it was only after he was assigned his job as a tutor to the brunette that he started forming questions.

Because there was something more to this. 

Tsuna was in Italy, she met the Mafia and Xanxus. Tsuna did not have flames. She was kidnapped. And then she was rescued and sent to Japan. Shortly after, Xanxus executed a coup and was later on proclaimed to be dead.

But he was alive.

And Tsuna was hurting all more because her reality had shattered. To find that Xanxus was alive after being told he had died days after a possibly very traumatic experience was probably cruel for her already fragile heart. And knowing her, she was probably feeling trapped with no way out, knowing that Varia and Xanxus now hated her and were ready to harm her and her friends for a title that was forced upon her.

For Tsuna to reveal her Sky flames and make a declaration of war despite knowing that her friends will get hurt in the fire meant that she was going to burn everything that she was to the ground.

And he didn't know if he was ready to see that.

"Tsuna, I want the truth"

**.**

**.**

**.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is the truth? I wonder. Perhaps not what you're expecting. Will Tsuna lie? Who knows…
> 
> Also, don't be scared by the sudden BelxTsuna. Their relationship will be explained later on, but they won't be the endgame. Or will they?
> 
> Fun note: I imagine Tsuna's intuition like creepy whispers merged together. It's like a siren song, wordless but haunting. And it really isn't healthy for a young girl to hear such sounds every day, so you can imagine why Tsuna is losing her mind.


End file.
